Romancing Lex
by italianangel38
Summary: Clark/Lana & Lex/Crystal. After an accident Clark donates blood to his sister and she developes Clark-like powers. (I'm stretching b/c I know Clark can't get needles...but it's fiction....please R&R Chapter 14 is up.
1. Default Chapter

Hey please R&R for my story in here or in my email I want to hear what you all think. Obviously you'll see as you read, I added a character so Clark will have a sister, in my story she is the Kent's real daughter and what they had wanted all along was a son. OK I also own no one and that's it I think. My story takes place around the time of Lana's b-day, so last episode basically. Oh and Crys as a nickname is pronounced Chris.  
  
"Lana…hi….what are you doing here?" Clark asks surprised when he opened the door and found Lana standing there, secretly he was so happy it was like a dream come true it was-   
  
"Is Crystal here?" Lana interrupts his thoughts   
  
"Crys- oh yea I'll go get her." Clark opens the door so Lana could come in. "I think she's in the living room."   
  
"Thanks Clark, I'd ask you to come along but we're going shopping and I doubt you'd want to join us." Lana laughs   
  
Secretly Clark wouldn't of minded anything to get him close to Lana, "You two need a ride?"   
  
"No Whitney is driving us in, Tom and him have practice so they're dropping us off on the way." Lana explains   
  
"Oh OK, well then I guess I'll be seeing you. I'll go get Crystal." Clark replies disappointed as he goes to find his sister. "Crystal, Lana's here she's waiting for you." Clark says to her when he finds her in the living room.   
  
"Oh ok thanks I'm coming." Crystal jumps up. Her light brown hair flew around her, her dark eyes sparkled with happiness. She looked nothing like Clark and everything like her parents. She stops before she runs out the door. "Hey Clark" She calls   
  
"Yea?"   
  
"Give it time."   
  
"Give what time?" Clark asks confused   
  
"I hear Whitney is going to be out of town this weekend…. strike while the iron is hot." She smiles as she shuts the door.  
  
"Thanks but no thanks!" Clark calls but it's too late.  
  
****************   
  
"Bye Tom" Crystal gives her boyfriend a kiss and waves good-bye to Whitney. "Bye Whitney"   
  
"Later." He calls as they drive off.   
  
"So what is it we're supposed to buy today?" Crystal asks Lana   
  
"Dresses for my party. Nel gave me money to buy you an outfit too and she insisted. She already talked it over with your mother.  
  
"I'm beginning to think Nel is more excited then are you Lana" Crystal says lightly  
  
"Believe me she is, I was telling Clark about that the other day. I like talking to him, he's a good listener."  
  
Crystal laughs "Sure he is."  
  
"No, really I mean it."  
  
"Well of course he listens to you Lana, it's obvious, but Clark is so concerned with helping everyone else he sometimes doesn't even see what's going on in front of him."  
  
"A little sibling rivalry I see." Lana observes  
  
"You could say that, come on let's go in here." Crystal walks into a store.  
  
Two hours later Lana and Crystal are in Lana's barn while Lana is brushing her horse.   
  
"You really like those things don't you?" Crystal asks  
  
"My horse? Yea. You should come riding with me sometime."  
  
Crystal shakes her head. "Thanks but no, I hate those things." She calls from across the barn where she is sitting on a rail to an empty stall.  
  
"The feeling is mutual."   
  
"You scared me half to death!" Crystal exclaims  
  
"My apologies." Lex replies "Lana how nice to see you again."  
  
"Hi Lex." Lana replies still brushing her horse.  
  
"I don't believe we've formerly met, Lex Luther." Lex introduces himself  
  
"Crystal Kent" Crystal shakes his hand.   
  
"I'm not surprised, minor details tend to slip his mind."  
  
"I hardly think a sister is a minor detail."  
  
"Yea, well tell that to Clark." Crystal jumps up "I'll see you later Lana, nice to meet you Lex."  
  
"Nice meeting you as well." Lex replies as Lana waves a good-bye. "So Lana, I hear your birthday is coming up."  
  
"I would think so, Nel spends so much time at your house planning." Lana replies  
  
"Yes, funny how she is always there and yet your absence is always present. It is your party am I right?"  
  
"It's my birthday, but hardly my party." Lana stops brushing.  
  
"So I hear Clark is going to be your escort. Good choice."  
  
"I'm still with Whitney." Lana protests   
  
"Yet Clark is escorting you." Lex smiles "I just dropped by to say hello, I'm going to visit Clark now, I'll talk to you soon Lana."  
  
Lana stands there silently as she watches Lex leave.  
  
*****************  
  
"Clark." Lex strolls over to Clark.  
  
"Hey Lex."  
  
"You never told me you had a sister."  
  
"Crys? I thought I'd mentioned it, oh well no big deal right?"  
  
"Of course not. There seems to be tension between you two."  
  
Clark shakes his head "No, not really."  
  
"All right. So the big day will be here soon, you going to show? Cause I know you're not the best at making appearances. Well at least that one time."  
  
"It's a reoccurring action I can assure." Crystal smiles as she passes by them.  
  
"No one asked you." Clark tells her  
  
"I was simply including my knowledge on the aforementioned topic with you two." Crystal replies going back inside.  
  
"She had wit." Lex observes  
  
"Yea and more often then not, it drives me crazy."  
  
"And you said there was no hostility." Lex shakes his head. "I have to go, I'll see you later, oh and tell your sister I said bye." Lex says walking to his car.  
  
"Chloe called." Crystal says as Clark comes in.  
  
"Called as in what?"  
  
"Called as in she said it was important and is coming over, if you ask me she's got another hunch on a story and wants your help to get more info."   
  
"I didn't ask you." Clark replies smiling.  
  
"Touch-ee, remind me not to rely messages to you anymore." Crystal quips "You don't have to get all uptight as long as you show to the party you have nothing to worry about. After all you are super boy."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It means that maybe you should take your head out of the clouds for a few minutes everyday and see what's going on around here. I mean you take enough time to check up on Lana we all know that, and you do check on Chloe and Pete I'll give you that…but other then that…you might as well be blind."  
  
"So what do you want me to do." Clark asks  
  
"Wake up and check your priorities." Crystal replies as someone knocks on the door. Crystal opens the door. "Chloe nice to see you, I think you'll have about five minutes before Clark disappears again."  
  
"What was that about?" Chloe asks  
  
Clark shrugs. "What do you need help with?"  
  
*******************  
  
Crystal is sitting in the coffee shop, leafing through a magazine when someone sits across from her.  
  
"We meet again."  
  
She looks up "So we do."  
  
"Is that anger I detect?" Lex asks  
  
"Handsome and observant, hey you're two for two." Crystal replies  
  
Lex is a little taken back but recovers quickly "You and Clark have a unique relationship."  
  
"Is that what you'd call it?"  
  
"What would you call it?" Lex presses  
  
Crystal sighs and puts down the magazine "My parents always wanted a boy, and they got me. Then they adopted Clark to make up for it. We were both three and at first it just seemed like I had a new friend." She laughs "But he never left. He's not that bad, I don't mean to make him out to be this horrible person, he's just difficult."  
  
"Complications is what makes life interesting." Lex tells her.  
  
"That they do."  
  
"You know you're incredibly fascinating and interesting. You seem to know what you want out of life."  
  
Crystal smiles "I grew up fast."  
  
"So you did. Would you care you go out tomorrow night? There's an art show opening tomorrow, I don't know if you're interested in art but they're usually enjoyable."  
  
"Save your breath, I'd love to go, I love art." Crystal answers  
  
"Good well then I'll see you at 7:00" Lex gets up and leaves.  
  
******************  
  
"Nice to you see." Martha greets Crystal  
  
"Hi Mom."  
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
"I went shopping for a dress, then I went to the coffee shop."  
  
"I should of known you'd end up there, you're never going to grow if you keep drinking stuff." Martha shakes her head.  
  
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Crystal assures her.  
  
"What's this good mood about?"  
  
"I was asked to join a friend at an art show opening tomorrow."   
  
"That's great and who is this friend?" Martha inquires  
  
"Lex Luther." Crystal replies  
  
"Lex? What about Tom? He is your boyfriend."  
  
"It's not a date, and I've only known Lex a day."  
  
"And you agreed to go with him?"  
  
"Mom calm down, you know him, so does Dad and Clark."  
  
"I'm not sure how well you're father will react to this." Martha says slowly  
  
"So then I can go right?"  
  
"I suppose so, there doesn't seem like there could be any harm done at an art show….but your father, he may not agree."  
  
"Agree on what?" Jonathan asks walking into the house.  
  
"My going to an art show opening with a friend." Crystal says carefully  
  
"Sure why not?" Jonathan agrees  
  
Martha nudges Crystal   
  
"What else?" Jonathan asks  
  
"Well Dad, I wouldn't be going with Tom….."  
  
"Who exactly would you be going with then?"  
  
"Lex."  
  
"Lex Luther? Lex Luther that is friend with your brother, offered to pay off our farm debts, is hosting Lana's party? That Lex Luther."  
  
"There's more then one?" Crystal asks confused  
  
"Jonathan, I don't see there to be any harm in an art show, and you know how much Crystal loves art…..if something goes wrong she can always call." Martha coaxes him  
  
"I don't know Martha…I don't trust him…."  
  
"Well maybe this is your time to give him a chance."  
  
"With our daughter?!?"  
  
"Jonathan come on, it'll be OK"  
  
Crystal watches them waiting for an answer. Jonathan scratches his head. "All right, you can go, but if ONE thing happens you call immediately."   
  
"Thank you so much! Both of you!" Crystal exclaims "I'm going to go call Lana."  
  
As she goes upstairs Jonathan turns to Martha "I don't like this."  
  
"Well I'm not completely for it either, but she has to learn to use her own judgment and remember she is still going out with Tom."  
  
"Let's hope it's an uneventful night so she stops wanting to go out with him." Jonathan replies.  
  
"I wouldn't worry, Crystal wouldn't fall for Lex." Martha assures him  
  
To be continued. I had to stop here because 1: it's two in the morning and 2: it sets up for chapter 2 ……lol you'll see please R&R thanx! 


	2. A Shower of Glass

I'm back for chapter 2 OK so thanx for the previous reviews keep R&R for me.  
  
"So you and Lex?" Lana asks over the phone  
  
"It's just like you and Clark going out, it doesn't mean anything." Crystal protests.  
  
"Except for the fact that Lex is what 20? 21?" Lana asks  
  
"What are you getting at?"   
  
"Nothing, just be careful. That's all."  
  
"Be careful of what? Tom doing something to Lex? He's not the jealous type Lana." Crystal laughs  
  
"And what Whitney is?"  
  
"He did string Clark up in a corn field." Crystal answers lightly  
  
"OK" Lana presses her lips together in a straight line "Listen I have to go."  
  
Crystal sighs "Wait, Lana I didn't mean it like that I just meant-"  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'll see you in school tomorrow." Lana hangs up the phone.  
  
Crystal flops onto her back on her bed and exhales deeply   
  
"Trouble on the homefront?"  
  
She makes a face "Could you get any cornier?"   
  
Clark walks in and sits down on her bed. "I heard you've got a date with Lex."  
  
"I heard you've got a date with Lana." Crystal replies  
  
"It's not a date." Clark protests, then he stops "It's different with Lana and I."  
  
Crystal sits up. "How?"  
  
"Because Lex is older and you don't know what his intentions are."  
  
"Yes I do, it's called an art show opening. Now the question is does Lana know your intentions? Cause you would love to date her."  
  
"Well why don't you go and call her and tell her?" Clark asks sarcastically   
  
"I would, but she doesn't want to talk to me right now." Crystal snaps getting up and going over to her desk and sitting down.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"  
  
"Don't bother. I know you didn't know or mean to, just forget it. I don't get why everyone is making such a big deal out of my going to an art show with Lex."  
  
"Maybe cause he's older, or because you're mom and dad's little girl. They're more protective of you." Clark reasons  
  
"So if I could see through walls, or pick up a car then they would trust me or even better my judgment?" Crystal asks crossing her arms.  
  
"Why do you always make it out to be my fault?" Clark demands  
  
"Face it Clark, you're their perfect child, I'm just there filling in a blank." Crystal sits back down on her bed. "Can you leave?"  
  
"Fine" Clark goes to the door. "Oh and you were wrong about Chloe, she was here to study for a test."  
  
"What else is new?"   
  
Clark sighs and shuts the door. Just as he was doing so the phone rang. "Hello?"  
  
"Clark. It's Lex. Is your sister there?"  
  
"Yea, hold on." Clark puts the phone down. "Crystal phone!"  
  
"Hello?" Crystal asks as Clark hangs up.  
  
"Crystal, it's Lex. I was just calling to confirm our plans."  
  
"Oh, yea I can go."  
  
"You sure? I wasn't sure how your parents would react. Particularly your father."  
  
"They're fine with it."  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"They said yes, but I don't know about the fine with it part."  
  
"I thought so. I can assure you it's just an art opening, nothing will happen."  
  
"I know that, just go convince everyone else that."  
  
"Everyone else? So more then just your parents disagree with it." Lex inquires  
  
"My parents, Clark, Lana, my boyfriend probably wouldn't be so hot on it, but I highly doubt he'll turn you into next years scarecrow." Crystal laughs trying to lighten the mood  
  
"I can see the conflict this is bringing you. Maybe we should call it off."  
  
"No, conflicts make life interesting."  
  
"I thought complications did." Lex answers  
  
"That too. See you tomorrow Lex."  
  
"Good-night Crystal." Lex replies hanging up.  
  
*******************  
  
"So you've got a date tonight?" Tom asks leaning next to Crystal's locker trying to be casual.  
  
"It's not a date I'm going to an art opening with a friend."  
  
"Lex Luther is your friend?" Tom asks doubtfully  
  
"How did you find out anyway?" Crystal asks shutting her locker.  
  
"Whitney. He doesn't like the idea either, and neither does Lana."  
  
"Neither does my parents or Clark. Welcome to the club." Crystal answers walking away.  
  
*****  
  
"Lana. Can I talk to you a minute. Hey Whitney" Clark says  
  
"Sure, I'll be right back Whitney." Lana answers  
  
"I'll be over there with Tom." Whitney replies "Later Clark."  
  
"What's up?" Lana asks  
  
"You and my sister are you guys fighting?"  
  
"I wouldn't say that…"   
  
"She doesn't think you want to talk to her. Everyone is ganging up on her about this date I mean the not date." Clark tells her  
  
"I just don't think it's the greatest idea."   
  
"I don't either. But she is going and she's definitely not talking to me, and it looks like Tom just confronted her about it."  
  
"Tom? That's my fault. I told Whitney about it, he must of told Tom." Lana explains creasing her brow   
  
"Well that explains that. I need you to talk to her."   
  
"I don't think she wants to talk to me, I wasn't exactly understanding about it last night."  
  
"Try at least." Clark asks  
  
"All right." Lana agrees "At lunch"  
  
************  
  
"Is anyone sitting here?" Lana asks Crystal at lunch.  
  
"That depends do you want to bash on my plans for tonight anymore?"  
  
"I came here to make a truce."  
  
Crystal looks up. "Then sit."  
  
Lana sits down. "I'm sorry."  
  
"OK" Crystal shrugs  
  
"What I said last night I didn't mean it."  
  
"Yes you did. But I'm sorry about what I said too." Crystal replies  
  
"I didn't mean it, because I know how you feel."  
  
"How do I feel?" Crystal asks  
  
"Like you love your boyfriend. That you feel right with him, but sometimes that isn't what's important."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"Being wrong sometimes is what's right. I know you love Tom, but maybe it's Lex you're supposed to be with, it's like a connection, a promise of what you could have, a promise of it being exciting and different, that maybe what you have isn't right."  
  
Crystal thinks for a minute. "Are you talking about you and Whitney?"  
  
"No I-" Lana stops and thinks "……..it's right with Whitney…"  
  
"But sometimes right is wrong." Crystal supplies softly   
  
Lana nods, "I was talking about myself wasn't I?"  
  
"Sounds like it. I love Tom and I want to be with him, I want to stay with him. Maybe you and Whitney aren't right anymore." Crystal says softly  
  
"Maybe…." Lana trails off interrupted by the bell ringing signaling the end of lunch.  
  
*********************  
  
"Hello Mom." Crystal walks in cheerfully with a cup of coffee in her hand.  
  
"I'll take that." Martha takes the cup and putting it on the counter  
  
"Hey!" Crystal exclaims   
  
"Listen to you mother." Jonathan says passing by.  
  
"You really need to quit drinking that stuff." Martha protests.  
  
"I'm not going to grow anyway." Crystal complains  
  
"You could, but you'll never know if you don't stop."  
  
"Let her drink it mom, I think she likes being what 5'4? 5'5?" Clark teases coming into the house.  
  
"Clark don't tease your sister." Martha laughs.  
  
"What she said. I'm going over to Lana's. Later!" Crystal makes a grab for the coffee but Clark gets to it before her. "Oh you two are just hilarious."   
  
"So are you OK with this not-date?" Clark asks  
  
"No, but she is determined. That's the thing you both have in determination that and stubbornness. You both mean well, I just wish you two would get along better, I see this constant conflict you two have with each other."  
  
"We just can't agree on anything, she thinks I don't know what's going on and I only see Lana or everyone else." Clark answers sitting down  
  
"Clark think about it. You go off and help people constantly, your a hero and she's living in your shadow. Maybe there's is just things that you don't see because of how busy you are." Martha says  
  
"Maybe, I don't know."   
  
"Well just think about that. I got to get to town, I'll be back soon." Martha tells him grabbing her purse.  
  
************  
  
"Lana?" Crystal walks cautiously into the barn. "You in here?"  
  
"I'm back here." Lana calls  
  
Crystal looks in the stalls, keeping a distance from them. "I'm not coming all the way in here, you come out."  
  
"All right I'm coming." Lana walks out of a stall. "Sorry I was cleaning up something."  
  
"So are you ok? You didn't look so great after our conversation at lunch today."  
  
"It got me thinking you know? Maybe I shouldn't be with- Whitney! Hi" Lana looks surprised and scared at the same time.  
  
"Hey, Crystal, Tom is outside he wants to talk to you."  
  
"Thanks" Crystal walks out of the barn to Whitney's truck. "Hey, what's wrong?"  
  
"I don't want you going tonight. To this art thing with Lex." Tom tells her.  
  
"You don't want me going? And you think I'll just say fine, ok I wont go?"  
  
"Yes." Tom crosses his arms  
  
"Do you trust me?" Crystal asks taking a step closer.  
  
"Of course I trust you - I don't tru-"  
  
"Then I'll see you tomorrow." Crystal gives him a kiss and walks away. As she was walking away, she hears an exploding sound followed by a shower of glass. She drops to the ground as fast as she could trying to shield her head. When everything is settled she stands up looking around her eyes wide. As Tom stands there in shock.  
  
Whitney and Lana run out of the barn. "I'll go get Nel" Lana says running into the house  
  
"What the hell happened to my car?" Whitney asks looking at the blown out windows.  
  
"I don't know, they just exploded I swear." Tom exclaimed  
  
Nel comes running outside with Lana. "Crystal come inside. Are you OK?"   
  
Recovering from the shock she nods "Yea I'm fine." Crystal answers shaken. "My ankle hurts a little though."  
  
"Lana come inside with us and call her house try to get her mom. You two boys clean this mess up." Nel orders.  
  
When Nel,.Crystal and Lana are in side Whitney turns to Tom "What the hell happened?  
  
"I don't know, I swear we were talking and she said she was going to still go on the date or whatever you call it and I leaned back against the truck next thing I knew there was a shower of glass." Tom explains  
  
"How is that possible?" Whitney asks "You didn't do anything other then lean on the truck?"  
  
"Maybe pressure built up inside it I've read about that happening." Tom shrugs  
  
"I don't know, let's get this cleaned up."  
  
***********************  
  
"Are you sure you're ok?" Martha asks Crystal on their way home.  
  
"Yes I'm fine." Crystal replies leaning her head back against the seat.  
  
"Do you need you see a doctor?"  
  
"No, I just need an ace bandage and some ice maybe…..Mom."  
  
"What?"   
  
"I'm still going to the art show tonight."  
  
"What? After all this? Shouldn't you just stay home and rest?" Martha asks  
  
"You and dad both said I could go and it's not like I was seriously injured or anything."  
  
Martha sighs "Fine, you can go." They pull up in front of the house, Jonathan and Clark are doing some work outside.  
  
"Hey how was your day?" Jonathan greets Martha he sees her stricken face. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh nothing there was a little accident." Martha answers  
  
"What kind of accident?" Clark asks walking over, noticing Crystal's limp.  
  
"The windows on Whitney's truck burst, it's a good thing Crystal and Tom were able to get out of the way in time, she sprained her ankle on the way down though." Martha explains  
  
"I'm fine." Crystal says before anyone could ask going into the house.  
  
"Not only is she fine, she's still going out with Lex tonight" Martha says in a hushed voice.  
  
"Couldn't convince her to stay home?" Jonathan asks  
  
"How did the windows burst?"  
  
"Oh I don't know Clark, they said it might have something to do with pressure building up inside the truck." Martha replies  
  
"I'll be right back." Clark says going inside. Inside he sees Crystal finishing putting on an ace bandage, Clark goes to the freezer and gets some ice. "Here."  
  
"Thanks" Crystal answers taking it.  
  
"Does it hurt?"  
  
"Yea, but I'm still going tonight."   
  
"I know."  
  
Crystal smiles. "So what did you want to ask?"  
  
"What makes you think I was going to ask something else?…all right." Clark says when he sees the look she's giving him "Did anything well out of the ordinary happen before the windows burst?"  
  
"No, we were fighting I guess he didn't want me to go. I said I was and then I turned around and the windows burst."  
  
"Clark I just heard. I think we've got another story for the wall of weird!" Chloe says bursting in the door. "Oh your parents said I could just come in." She explains  
  
"What a surprise she's got a new story, I'm just so happy it's involving my life now." Crystal whispers sarcastically as she gets up "I got to go get ready." She announces  
  
"So a new story huh?" Clark asks  
  
"Yea I just need to wait for the papers to cover this, maybe someone has pictures I don't obviously I wasn't there." Chloe laughs "Maybe your sister will answer some questions."  
  
"I highly doubt that." Clark laughs  
  
"Well let me give it a try." Chloe reasons going upstairs   
  
"All right" Clark answers  
  
To be continued. Please R&R 


	3. The Date

Hey please keep R&R thanx for the previous reviews!  
  
"Crystal?" Chloe knocks on her door.  
  
"Come in."   
  
"Hey." Chloe starts  
  
"-pink or blue skirt?" Crystal interrupts "Or neither? Black?"  
  
"Uh…blue." Chloe answers  
  
"Yea I like that one better anyway." Crystal replies taking the knee length baby blue skirt out of her closet along with a black tank top and a sheer black shirt to go over it and a pair of black boots. "So what's up?" She asks looking at Chloe in the mirror as she brushes her hair so it's smooth. As she waits for Chloe's reply she starts to apply make-up. "What time is it?"  
  
"6:45" Chloe answers "So what I was wondering is….."  
  
"6:45? Are you kidding me? I got to get dressed hold that thought." Crystal runs out of the room and into the bathroom. She runs back in 5 minutes later fully dressed. "My mom and I must been at Lana's house longer then I thought. Did you want to ask me something?"  
  
"Yea tomorrow you think you could answer some questions I have about what happened today?" Chloe finally asks  
  
"You want to write a story about it?" Crystal asks stopping.  
  
"Yea, I like all these weird things that happen in Smallville. I want to add it-"  
  
"To your wall of weird. I know, I saw it, everything from coach Walt to 3 year old Lana. No thanks Chloe but I don't want to be a part of your wall of weird" Crystal answers brusquely grabbing a black coat. "I have to go." She walks out of her room.  
  
"Crys, Lex is here." Clark calls "He brought a limo. As least mom and dad will know he's not driving and wont drive off a bridge or something."  
  
"I'm sure that's so comforting for them Clark, I hope you mentioned that." Crystal smirks walking out the door.  
  
"So how'd it go?" Clark asks seeing Chloe   
  
"I have everything on my board from Coach Walt to 3 year old Lana and she doesn't want a part of it."  
  
"Ouch, but I did warn you."  
  
"Oh don't worry Clark I can assure I will get that story." Chloe promises "I got to go, you know, do some research. Later."  
  
"Bye."  
  
********  
  
"What time is this art show over?" Jonathan asks Lex  
  
"11:00, but with driving we should be back here by 11:30 maybe 11:45." Lex answers  
  
"All right, be careful." Jonathan sighs  
  
"I can assure no cars will be driven off bridges and as you can see I'm not driving." Lex smiles  
  
"Can we go?" Crystal asks impatiently looking at her parents.  
  
"OK, we get the hint. Come on Jonathan." Martha grabs his arm  
  
"Oh and if Tom calls tell him I'm at the art show…with Lex." Crystal calls climbing into the car.  
  
"Think they had a fight?" Jonathan asks jokingly  
  
"Oh yea." Martha replies  
  
*********************  
  
Lex and Crystal sit in silence for a few minutes of the ride, Crystal lost in her own thoughts, finally she realizes Lex is looking at her. "What?"  
  
"Tell Tom I'm at the art show with Lex…." Lex says slowly smiling.  
  
Crystal can't help but to smile back. "So?"  
  
"Guess he didn't like our plans for tonight."  
  
"No, so much that he blew out the windows of Whitney's car."  
  
"When you say blew out?"  
  
"I don't know, they just blew out, they think it had to do with pressure building up inside." Crystal replies  
  
"Ah. This would be the reason for you tense mood?"  
  
"Partly. One of Clark's friends likes to keep track I guess you could say of the weird things that happen in Smallville. So she wants me to be her next story, well me and Tom I guess."  
  
"I see, you don't like the be in the spotlight?" Lex asks  
  
"Not for those reasons."  
  
"Understandable…..so Tom is your boyfriend."  
  
"Yes he is."  
  
"Another quarterback? Just like your friend Lana's quaterback."  
  
Crystal laughs "He's a linebacker."   
  
"Oh well then that's just worse."  
  
"How do you figure?"  
  
"You have all star quarterback and all star linebackers but everyone knows only the quarterback matters."  
  
"You don't know much about football do you?"  
  
"No more then you most likely." Lex replies  
  
"Then I suggest you never place a bet on a game cause you would lose your money on my knowledge of the game."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind. We're here." Lex says looking out the window. He gets out and holds the door open. "This is one of the plusses of having money." He tells her and leads her to the front of the line of people waiting to get in, shows the man at the door his tickets and they both go directly inside.  
  
"Nice work"  
  
"Beats waiting outside." Lex replies helping her take off her coat. "You're limping." He observes  
  
"I fell today."  
  
"When the car windows…blew out?"   
  
"Yes."  
  
"If you tire of walking let me know." Lex tells her taking her arm.  
  
"I'll do that." Crystal replies looking around the room. "It's beautiful in here!" She gasps  
  
"You really do have an appreciation for art. Where should we start?"  
  
"Um" Crystal replies biting her lip. "Over there." She gestures towards a section.  
  
"The work of Lassen*. One of my favorites" Lex comments  
  
"My absolute favorite." Crystal replies she takes a step closer to the painting. "I love the colors he uses, they're always so vibrant and full of life, sometimes if you really lose yourself you can feel the ocean breeze or the warm waters of Hawaii, and the dolphins and whales and all the fish actually seem like they can swim right out of the picture." She stops and looks at Lex who is looking at her. "I'm babbling."   
  
"Don't stop, I like seeing you appreciate this so much, Lassen's not very well known in the mainland, especially where we live."   
  
"That's partly why I love his work so much." Crystal replies sitting on a bench looking at the pictures surrounding her. "It's a completely different world, it's such an escape." She says smiling.  
  
"What's your favorite piece?" Lex inquires  
  
Crystal turns to face him "Seriously? I don't think I could ever pick out one piece, I have so many favorites" Crystal sighs "I guess my favorite would be "In Another World" you know the one with those white horses and those bright orange majestic mountains in the background and the water it's so beautiful."  
  
"I thought you were scared of horses." Lex comments  
  
"Not those horses, never. So what's your favorite?"  
  
"Oh I could never pick one." Lex answers  
  
Crystal looks at him a smile playing on her lips  
  
"I'm kidding, my favorite is "Ancient Rhythms" with the huge whales"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it's obvious how powerful they are and how strong they are."  
  
"Oh so it's power you want." Crystal jokes.  
  
"I've been discovered." Lex jokes back.  
  
*****************  
  
Meanwhile……Tom and Whitney are at Tom's house talking.   
  
"So Crystal went tonight I heard." Whitney comments.  
  
Tom runs his hands through his hair. "How do you know? Are you sure?" He asks irritated as he continues to pitch the hay in the stables.   
  
"I'm positive, Lana called Clark to see if Crystal was ok and he said not only is she ok she's out with Lex." Whitney replies  
  
Tom exhales and slams the bale of hay down. "I told her not to go." He put his hand on the stable fence, when the door to the stable they were near flew open almost flying of it's hinges. Tom and Whitney jumped back.  
  
"What the hell is going on? This is the second time something like that has happened." Whitney exclaims   
  
"I don't know man, listen why don't you go I need some time to get my head straightened out I got to much going on."  
  
"Yea, sure I'll see you Monday." Whitney grabs his coat and leaves.  
  
When Tom is sure Whitney is gone, he puts his hand on the bail of hay and sees if anything happens, nothing does and he sits down, "I must be going crazy, it's this whole thing with Crystal I can't believe she went" He mutters, the anger building up in him, when the bail of hail bursts out flying all over the barn. Tom jumps up. Finally piecing it together in his head. He smiles slightly, a new set of thought entering his head. As he walks away he ceases to notice the greenish colored sand covering the floor of his families stables.  
  
*******************  
  
"So we have a little bit of time to kill before 11:30, a half hour to be exact." Lex says looking at his watch. "Want to go get some coffee?"  
  
"How did you know I would?" Crystal smiles  
  
"Actually I got a hint from your brother, he said you are addicted to the stuff and to get you decaf" Lex laughs as they walk inside the coffee shop.  
  
"I see." As they take a seat "Thanks for tonight Lex, I had a really good time."  
  
"So did I" Lex answers  
  
"Even though we never left the Lassen section?" Crystal jokes "I guess we got caught up in it I'm sorry"  
  
"I'm not, I had a great time, even though we never saw anything else" Lex assures her "We should do it again."  
  
"Go to an art show?"  
  
"Or just go out and hang out together."   
  
"Yea I'd like that." Crystal agrees  
  
"However we need to continue this conversation another day or we'll be late." Lex says checking his watch again.  
  
"Then let's go." Crystal says getting up.  
  
****************  
  
"We're here." Lex says at the Kent house  
  
"Lex, I had a really good time, a better time then I've had in a long time." Crystal says softly  
  
"Well I'm glad to have provided you with one."   
  
"Good-night"  
  
"Crystal" Lex calls her she gets back in and Lex kisses her softly on the lips "Oh yea you forgot this" He holds out her purse.  
  
"Thanks"  
  
"I'll talk to you soon." Lex says before he closes the door.  
  
"Bye Lex" Crystal walks inside her house as the limo pulls away  
  
"Did you have a good time?" Martha asks as Crystal walks in  
  
"Yes I did."   
  
"We know" Clark says from the couch winking  
  
"What's that mean?" Crystal asks smiling  
  
"You do remember you have a boyfriend right?" Clark teases   
  
"You mean cause we ki-" Crystal stops as Clark nods smiling "Oh shut up Clark."  
  
"Well we're going up." Jonathan says getting up "Night guys"  
  
"Don't stay up to late." Martha warns  
  
"Did that see us?" Crystal whispers when their parents are out of earshot.   
  
"Yes they did." Clark nods "So I'm guessing you had a good time."   
  
"Actually I had a great time." Crystal smiles  
  
"Well I'm happy for you-really." Clark says sincerely   
  
"Thanks" Crystal replies as there's a knock at the door. "Who's here this late? It's probably Chloe who found an update on my fascinating- Tom! What are you doing here?" Crystal exclaims surprised to see Tom standing on the door-step.  
  
TBC'd soon Please R&R  
  
A/N:* Christian Riese Lassen is a real artist from Hawaii and those two arts I mentioned are really two of his pieces I didn't make him up….lol if your curious or anything like that his web page is www.Lassenart.com 


	4. Headlines

Hey! Thanx to everyone who reviewed my story, please keep R&R I like to know how I'm doing…. I wont be able to update for a while cause I'll be away and I'll have no access to a computer but I will as soon as I get back. I made a mistake in this chapter so thanx to MitchPell for pointing it out.. OK so anyway here's the chapter:   
  
"Hey baby can I talk to you for a minute, alone?" Tom asks looking at her "Nice outfit, go anywhere special tonight?"  
  
"Are you serious? I told you already I went to the art show with Lex." Crystal answers surprised at his question  
  
"I thought you said you weren't going." Tom says forcefully  
  
"You were kidding yourself then, I went to the art show with a friend, and I-"  
  
"Listen can we talk outside." Tom interrupts noticing Clark who is trying to look engrossed in the T.V.  
  
Crystal sighs and looks away for a second thinking. "Fine." She follows him outside.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking? I told you not to go!" Tom yells when their outside  
  
"Don't even try that crap with me! Listen I told you to trust me, you know I love you what's up with the possessive boyfriend act?!?"  
  
"I don't know maybe Lex Luther coming onto my girlfriend." Tom replies angrily   
  
"He was not coming onto me." Crystal protests  
  
"So then he accidentally kissed you? Is that it?"  
  
"You were spying on me?" Crystal asks getting pissed "What possessed you to do that?"  
  
"I don't want you to go out with Lex, much less speak to Lex again do you hear me?" Tom shouts  
  
"You listen to me, I will go out with and speak to whomever I choose to. You don't have the right to tell me who and when I should go out with."  
  
"I'm your boyfriend!" Tom exclaims  
  
"Not anymore." Crystal replies hotly she turns to open the door, Tom puts his hand on it to stop her and the glass shatters. "How did you do that?" Crystal exclaims scared "What's wrong with you?"  
  
Tom smiles. "Nothing's wrong with me baby, I'll see you in school Monday." He walks away gets in his truck and leaves.  
  
Crystal looks around her at all the broken glass, in shock. Confused about what had just happened. Clark ran to the door and opened it, Crystal takes a step back looking at what just happened, the glass lay on the doorstep and the floor of their house. Martha and Jonathan hurry downstairs. They survey the mess. "What happened?" Jonathan demands.  
  
Dumbfounded Crystal doesn't reply.  
  
"I don't know, Tom came by and wanted to talk to Crys, they went outside and the glass broke." Clark explains "Maybe he hit it."  
  
"Tom? What was he doing here?" Martha asks looking for a broom.   
  
"Is that what happened Crystal? Did Tom hit the glass?" Jonathan questions  
  
Crystal looks up her eyes wide.  
  
"Crystal?"  
  
Crystal shakes her head. "No, no he didn't, no he didn't hit the glass…he touched it. He knew what he was doing he did it on purpose…" Crystal trails off.  
  
"Come on let's go inside." Martha grabs Crystal's arm.  
  
"Clark is that all Tom really did. Touch the glass?"  
  
"I don't know I didn't want to look through, she'd get mad about my spying if I did." Clark replies  
  
"Yea she would, and I hate to admit this, but it's Tom I don't trust right now, not Lex." Jonathan says as they go inside.  
  
***************  
  
"Hey Crystal… you awake?" Clark asks opening her door.  
  
"Yea." She replies laying on her bed with a sketch pad.  
  
"Someone wants to talk to you."   
  
"The phone didn't ring."  
  
"I know, he's here, and yea mom and dad know." Clark smiles moving out of the way.  
  
"Lex? What are you doing here?" Crystal asks sitting up and shoving the pad under her pillow.  
  
"I came by to see you if wanted to do something, but your mother warned me you may not want to."  
  
"Oh right…" Crystal answers looking down at her comforter   
  
"Did something happen?" Lex prods  
  
"Tom came by last night, he said he saw us kiss, then he broke the glass on our front door."  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Yea I'm fine, a little confused, I don't know exactly what's going on." Crystal answers slowly  
  
"Understandable." Lex confirms "So would you like to go out, your parents said it was fine with them I think they'd prefer your not being home."  
  
"Why not? What are they doing?" Crystal asks standing up  
  
"I don't know, it's just the feeling I got from them." Lex explains "Maybe they want to be safe then sorry? I don't know."   
  
"All right let's go out, I don't really want to stick around here anyway." Crystal replies standing up.  
  
"Where are you two off to?" Martha asks as they come downstairs.  
  
"A drive, we're not sure exactly where yet." Crystal tells her  
  
"All right, be back for dinner." Martha replies a worry line creasing in her head as she thinks. "Be careful."  
  
"Ok…bye mom" Crystal says looking at her mother curiously   
  
"That was weird, what's going on?" Crystal asks Lex when they get into his car.  
  
"You haven't seen today's paper today have you?" Lex asks  
  
"No, I thought you didn't know about anything that was going on." Crystal asks looking at him  
  
"I don't know what's going on with your parents but apparently something has been going on in Smallville." He says handing her a paper while keeping his eyes on the road.  
  
Crystal gasps putting her hand over her mouth. "I don't believe it!" She reads the headline. "Tom Jakobsin Missing"  
  
Lex glances at her confused "That wasn't the article I was talking about." He takes the paper and flips it over.  
  
Crystal's eyes grew wide as she saw the other headline. "Oh no…." She says hoarsely tears welling up in her eyes. She continues to read the article. She felt her chest begin to tighten.   
  
"Hey are you all right? Want me to take you home?" Lex asks concerned  
  
"No, I- let's go to your house." Crystal replies still looking at the headline. As Lex turns the car around and drives off to his house.  
  
"We're here." Lex says softly. Opening her door. Crystal gets out and follows him into the house still clutching the newspaper. "It's busy around here though, Lana's party being tonight and all. If you want I can have someone bring your dress over here." Lex offers and Crystal nods sitting down in a chair.  
  
"Clark?"  
  
"Hey Lex, what's up?" Clark says into the phone  
  
"You're sister saw the article." Lex tells him  
  
"How is she?"  
  
Lex looks down "Uh not to good actually, I was calling to say since Lana's party isn't to far off timewise to have Lana bring Crystal's dress here."  
  
"Yea I'll bring it over there. Does she know the Tom is missing too?" Clark asks  
  
"Yes." Lex answers looking at the paper "Do you think the two are connected?"  
  
"I don't know, listen I have to go I'll see you tonight." Clark tells him  
  
"Bye Clark." Lex shakes his head and throws the paper on the table the headline reading   
PARENTS OF LOCAL BOY IN ACCIDENT-  
cause unknown: one dead, the other in critical condtion.  
  
"Are you OK really?" Lex asks sitting next to her.  
  
Crystal shakes her head. Lex takes her hand. "Everything will all right." He tells her softly  
  
"Do you think Tom was responsible?"   
  
"How it said the engine exploded the breaks blew out, they went right into the ditch and flipped. How could Tom of done that?"  
  
"When he broke the glass last night, he touched it. Do you think it's possible?"  
  
"How could Tom of touched the car while it was moving? Much less the engine?" Lex asks sensibly   
  
"What if he was in the car and was concentrating or something? Like what if he knew what he was doing and was so strong he didn't even need to touch the car or anything for that matter anymore? What if-"  
  
"Don't do this to yourself." Lex says cupping her chin "You could play what ifs with any possible thing and drive yourself insane. I'll admit that weird things happen in Smallville all the time….. I'm living proof, why am I alive? I should be dead." Lex tells her  
  
"I'm glad that you're not." Crystal whispers leaning closer to Lex. Lex hesitates slightly before leaning in to kiss her. This kiss even sweeter then the first.  
  
"What about Tom?" Lex asks  
  
"I broke up with him yesterday, I - I realized I don't love him."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Do you believe that two people can connect so easily despite the obstacles in their way?" Crystal asks looking in his eyes  
  
"Even more so since I've met you." Lex replies kissing her again. "But we'll have to continue with this later, Lana and Nel should be here soon." He kisses her once more and then gets up to answer the door.  
  
"Crystal, I heard what happened. Whitney almost didn't leave this morning he's so freaked I hope everything goes ok for him."   
  
"I broke up with Tom and I love Lex you were right, it wasn't right with Tom I was kidding myself." Crystal blurts out. "And I think Tom is behind everything, and I have never been so scared in my entire life."  
  
Lana stops trying to take everything in. "Wait, you broke up with….. Crystal if Tom is really behind this don't you think you or your family is in trouble?"   
  
"Do you think he really would? He's missing though, he's not here." Crystal tries to convince herself. "I'm calling my house."   
  
"Clark? I- I are you ok? Is mom and dad ok? Is-"  
  
"Crystal, calm down." Clark says when he answers  
  
"Tom is responsible I know he is, just like all these other crazy things that have been happening it's Tom, I swear Clark it is." Crystal says in a hushed voice so that no one can hear her. "Clark he killed his mother, his father is barely-"  
  
"He's dead, he died a half hour ago." Clark says softly "The police are here, they want to put you under protective custody, there was a witness that stepped up and saw Tom messing around with his parents car. I'm going to take care of this."  
  
"No you have to let the police take care of this! Lana's counting on you. You'll break her heart."   
  
"I can't. You know that."  
  
"Clark don't worry about me, this is what's important." Crystal pleads  
  
"You said to watch my priorities and I am." Clark insists hanging up.  
  
"He's not coming?" Lana asks already knowing the answer  
  
"He doesn't want to leave my parents, he thinks I'll be safe here." Crystal lies hoping Lana will buy it.  
  
"I hoped for too much didn't I? Maybe I was wrong maybe Whitney is right?"  
  
Crystal sighs, she doesn't have the energy to fight this now. The girl go and ready themselves for the party. Just as they are finishing people start to arrive.  
  
"I don't even want to go out there." Lana says looking over the balcony. "I didn't even want this."  
  
"I know." Crystal agrees spotting Lex down below, he glances over and smiles and makes his way over.   
  
"You look great." He tells her "You look great too Lana." He adds   
  
Lana smiles "You don't need to compliment me Lex, but thank you. I guess I should go make an appearance."   
  
"Good luck." Crystal says   
  
"Don't worry."  
  
"I can't not. I know something is happening….inside."   
  
"Do you want to go to your house, I'll take you there." Lex offers "So you can relax then."  
  
"Yes, I'll go change." Crystal walks off.  
  
*****************  
  
"Mrs. Kent. Is Crystal here?"   
  
"Tom? What are you doing here?" Martha asks locking the screen.  
  
"May I come in?"  
  
"No, we're having a problem right now. It's not a good time."  
  
"Oh I think it's a great time." Tom smiles placing his hand on the door handle and causing the lock to break. "So where's your lovely family?"  
  
"What's going on in here?" Jonathan walks in.   
  
"Nothing too much Mr. Kent, I came for Crystal."   
  
"From what I heard the two of you are no loner a couple."   
  
"On the contrary." Tom places his hand on the wall causing everything to shake and pictures to fall off the wall.  
  
Martha grabbed the counter. "Clark!!!" She yelled, Clark was upstairs in his room when he felt the shaking he hurried downstairs. And attempted to tackle Tom to the ground but the pressure coming from Tom caused Clark to fall back.   
  
Tom picked up his hand. "Am I too strong for you Clark? Is that it?" As the floor starts to shake the tiles breaking up.  
  
Clark retaliates and succeeds in knocking Tom over. Clark stood back up and Tom tried to get up himself. The anger building up in him. Police sirens wailed as they came up onto the property. "Arghh!" Tom yelled frustrated grabbing the table to pull himself up, the counter broke collapsing on him, the police ran in just as it was collapsing. They rushed over to clear the mess. Only to discover the weight of the counter debris had crushed him killing him. Crystal ran out of Lex's car just as they were taking Tom out of the house on a stretcher, to carry the weight of his body.   
  
Crystal froze in her steps as she watched her parents and Clark giving their police reports. Clark noticed her and walked over. "Crystal."   
  
"I'll be in my room." She answered tensely.  
  
"Here's her coat." Lex tells Clark handing it to him  
  
"Lex, Tom's parent's funeral is tomorrow, Crys would be glad if you were there."  
  
"Thank you, I'll be there." Lex promises walking away as Clark joined the everyone else back at his house.  
  
**********************  
  
Crystal looked at herself in the mirror smoothing a wrinkle out of her black shirt and picking a piece of lint off her black skirt, she adjusted her black stockings and examined herself. Her skin was pale and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. She sighed and joined her family outside. All in similar black attire.  
  
Crystal walked into the funeral home and sat in the back, watching everyone pay there last regards, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Tom was dead her first love, he was responsible for his parent's deaths, and altough there was no proof she knew it was true. How could she face school or anyone for that matter after this?  
  
Lana walked in with Whitney, Lana was all closed in her arms wrapped around herself in her own world. Whitney looked extremely uncomfortable himself.   
  
Crystal looks up as she felt someone sit next to her, Lex smiled softly and took her hand into his as the services started. After the services ended and everyone was saying their final good-bye. Lex and Crystal stood by her car waiting for everyone else.  
  
"Jonathan not now." Martha's voice pleads with him as they came over.  
  
"We need to stop this before it starts" Jonathan insists  
  
"He's proven to be trustworthy" Martha protests  
  
"I don't like it."  
  
"That wont stop her."  
  
"I should go" Lex tells Crystal as he sees her family approaching he gives her a kiss. "I'll call you tonight."  
  
"Bye" She answers  
  
"Crystal, we need to talk to you." Jonathan says walking over. He clears his throat. "Your mother and I , we don't approve of this thing you have going on with Lex Luther. We don't want you to see him anymore."  
  
"I don't believe it, I'm happy -with Lex, and you want to take it away. I'm going for a walk." Crystal says angrily walking off  
  
"I told you it was bad timing." Martha hisses  
  
"It needed to be done." Jonathan replies "She'll get over it."  
  
Crystal sat down on a bench by the lake and pulled out her cell phone. "Lex?….Yea can you meet me by the lake?……no I just don't want to be alone right now……..ok thanks."  
  
Lex pulls up five minutes later. "Hey what's up?" He asks joining her on the bench  
  
"My parents don't want me to see you anymore…..but I don't care. I want to be with you. I know that. And I'm going to hold to my decision….as long as that's what you want to…." Crystal trails off scared of his answer  
  
"Is this truly what you want?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then you should already know my answer, I want to be with you, I want you to be my girlfriend." Lex tells her  
  
Crystal's face melts into a smile and leans into Lex's arms as he holds her close……….  
  
  
To be continued…when I get back, it's not over yet….. I still have sum more ideas….lol please R&R 


	5. What's Going On

Hey I'm back for my next chapter and I wanted to say before I posted it that I do have the intentions to have clark/lana in this story I have my reasons for everything….lol you'll see…please R&R thanx so much!  
  
  
"Clark….what are you doing here?" Lana asks opening the door  
  
"Did Crystal come over?…… She left early my parents told her they didn't want her to see Lex anymore." Clark explains  
  
"That wont stop her."   
  
"I know it wont and I know that she's with Lex right now" Clark admits his voice softening  
  
"Yet here you are, on my front porch." Lana says softly  
  
"Yea…" Clark trails off looking away  
  
"…………do you want to come in?"   
  
"Thanks, I would" Clark walks in as Lana opens the door wider  
  
"I think we need to talk."   
  
"All right, what's up?"  
  
"Well it's complicated….." Lana tells him  
  
"And it has nothing to do with Crystal I'm guessing." Clark observes  
  
"I want to be honest with you, honesty is best." Lana says taking a seat  
  
"Yea, honesty is good."   
  
"Don't talk though….it will make this easier…ok?"  
  
Clark sat there in the chair with a coy smile on his face.  
  
Lana caught onto his act and smiled. "Funny, Clark. I'm trying to be serious."   
  
"All right, tell me, I'm listening and I want to know."  
  
Lana takes a deep breath and stood up and began pacing "I don't think Crystal should be with Lex, he's to old for her." Lana began  
  
"Lana you wanted to be honest about that? And I thought this wasn't about Crys."  
  
"You said you wouldn't say anything." Lana protests before she continues "But I told Crystal that you can't help who you love, and that sometimes what you think is right it wrong and what you think is wrong is right…….. I think that the entire time I was talking about you."  
  
Clark looks at Lana carefully to see if she was kidding, but her face was serious.  
  
"I feel safe with Whitney and it feels right…too right. I don't like it, deep inside it feels more like an obligation then a relationship. So then I tell Crystal all of this, and I feel like such a huge hypocrite I mean I'm telling her maybe she should be with Lex and she tells me she loves Tom. Then she tells me maybe I should be with you, and I think she's right….but then I get so confused because Tom is dead and now Crystal is proclaiming her love for Lex. But I really think it was Lex she loved all along. I don't know what to do Clark and I couldn't tell this to Whitney or even Crystal because it's so indifferent right now. Like everything can change in a single second." Lana says finally stopping her pacing and looking into Clark's eyes  
  
"Would this really be what you want, everything else aside?" Clark asks carefully  
  
"I'm just so scared, it feels like my life can break like glass right now… I think this is what I want I feel like it is."  
  
Not saying anything Clark gets up and cups Lana chin in his hands and kisses her. "Did that help any?" He whispers  
  
"Yes."  
  
"For the better?"  
  
"Most definitely." Lana answers kissing him again. "Thank you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For listening to me, your the first person to listen to me in a while."   
  
Clark closes his eyes  
  
"What's wrong?" Lana asks worried  
  
"Maybe that's our problem."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"Not listening to Crystal."   
  
Lana nods in agreement "You're right, we're not."  
  
"I don't want to be rude and after you just tell me all this for us to go and run to Crys."  
  
"What should we do?" Lana asks  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"We have forever to work this out, but we may not have as much time to fix this with her." Lana answers firmly  
  
"I don't know what do to though." Clark admits  
  
"Did we really screw ourselves up so much in this stupid town that we don't even know how to listen to each other anymore or how to help each other?" Lana asks getting upset  
  
"It's the secrets that keep us apart Lana, secrets and lies."   
  
"Well then I don't want anymore of them, I want to be your girlfriend. I broke up with Whitney today before you came over, it was time."  
  
"I want you to be my girlfriend too." Clark replies  
  
"Good, so then we have to make this work and we have to be there for Crystal in any way."  
  
"Right."   
  
"So no more secrets and lies. All right Clark?"  
  
Clark's breath catches in his throat. "R-right no more secrets."  
  
"Good" Lana kisses him "Let's go find your sister."  
  
************************  
  
"Lana, Clark it's nice to see you both, together…." Martha says as they walk into the Kent house and she notices their entwined hands.  
  
"Is Crys here? We need to talk to her." Clark says  
  
"She is, she's not in the best of moods though. She skipped dinner went straight to bed. I don't blame her it hasn't been easy for her."  
  
"We'll be upstairs if you need us." Clark tells his mom  
  
"Good luck, trying to get her to talk I mean" Martha says  
  
"Thanks." Clark replies  
  
*******************  
  
"Crystal? Ow Lana watch out." Clark warns  
  
"It's not my fault I can't see anything it's pitch black in here."   
  
"Here's the light. Crystal!" Clark exclaims when he sees her sitting in a ball in the corner crying.  
  
"Are you ok?" Lana goes over to her "Crystal talk to me."   
  
"My….life…..is…a….mess…." Crystal cries through her sobs  
  
"What's wrong I thought everything was going good." Lana asks while Clark hovers closer to the doorway feeling uncomfortable.  
  
"Tom's dead. I know you both don't approve of Lex and I and neither do my parents. I don't even know if I should be with Lex now. I mean was it really worth it?"  
  
"Was what worth it?" Lana asks softly sitting next to her  
  
"Tom's parents dying, Tom dying? I just went to my boyfriend's parents funeral and now I'm supposed to go to my boyfriend's funeral? This is crazy I should be thinking about what I should wear to school tomorrow or about my history test. Or anything like that…….what don't I know?" Crystal asks her intuitions kicking in  
  
"Uh….Clark and I, we're going out, we want to give it a try make it work. We were both right, I did feel too right with Whitney." Lana explains  
  
"You think you two will be able to make this work?" Crystal asks  
  
"Yes, we decided to be honest and open, it'll be for the best."   
  
Crystal looks up and catches Clark's eye, he looks nervous, she understands immediately. "Lana, take it slowly, don't try to rush it ok?"  
  
"Yea sure." Lana answers hesitantly "Listen I need to go, it's late, but I do want to talk to you again, but I think a night's sleep will do us all good." Lana says getting up. She gives Clark a kiss on the cheek "Night."  
  
Clark watches her walk down the hall and then shuts the door.  
  
"I don't want you to blame yourself about this." Clark says  
  
"You said you'd be completely honest with her?" Crystal exclaims "I can't even be completely honest with anyone I ever meet, I'll have a husband and kids one day and I can never tell them! And you tell Lana honesty is best? Clark I know you love Lana, and you'd go to the ends of the world for her but you have to think about this." Crystal says trying to keep calm. "You didn't tell mom and dad you were thinking of telling her did you?"  
  
"I don't even know if I will yet. We were talking about helping you get better, and honesty came up. We wanted you to be honest and you were and I'm being honest with you, this isn't your fault, Tom and everything I mean."  
  
"Yes it is and don't change the subject no matter what happens with me and Lex I will never tell him. You can't tell Lana, what if she reacts badly and tells someone? She's my best friend and I've never even told her."  
  
"Crystal it's not your choice, it's-"  
  
"Do you know how this could affect my life? Mom and dad's lives? Did you even think about that? "  
  
"How could this affect your life?" Clark retorted angry  
  
"If I lost my brother I don't think I could handle that all right? I lost my boyfriend but losing you would affect me even more ok?" Crystal hissed  
  
Clark froze. "I'm sorry Crystal I didn't even think about that."  
  
"Try to think about these kind of things ok?" Crystal answers wiping the tears off her face. "Everything is so screwed up. You couldn't even understand, I am going to have to attend the funeral of my boyfriend, well ex. But even though I'm with Lex I still feel so tied to Tom, I don't even know how to handle myself right now. And………" Crystal trails off looking at the doorway the color draining from her face. Clark turns slowly facing his greatest fear. Lana stood in the doorway looking at the two of them.  
  
"What's going on?" She asks  
  
OK cliffhanger lol sorry I told everyone I would have Clark/Lana in my story and don't worry I'm not going to break them up I could never do that….lol please R&R and if you have any suggestions I'm open to them. THANX! 


	6. Secrets

Hey thanx to you all for your previous reviews please keep R&R thanx so much!  
  
Clark and Crystal still are standing there dumbfounded at Lana's presence.   
  
"Guys I asked what's going on?" Lana repeats herself  
  
"I…. I thought….. I thought you'd left already" Crystal sputters  
  
"Well it looks like it's a good thing I didn't. What's so personal and horrible that you guys can't tell me? That is making you both speechless."   
  
Clark looks at Crystal silently asking her what do to.   
  
"Clark, Crystal someone start talking!" Lana demands getting frustrated  
  
"What did you hear?" Crystal finally manages to get out  
  
"Only that Clark is hiding something, and you don't want him to tell anyone. That this could affect your life greatly that you wouldn't even tell me or your future husband or kids." Lana tells her.  
  
Crystal looks around her room for something to divert Lana's attention. While Clark tries to come up with something to say. Crystal spots a glass vase holding flowers that Lex had recently bought her. She nonchalantly walked over to them and started to fiddle with them.   
  
"It's really no big deal Lana, really." Crystal says lightly  
  
"So why are you completely avoiding the subject?" Lana points out  
  
"Uh well it's kind of hard to explain." She says looking at Clark prodding him on.  
  
"Yea it's complicated" Clark adds nervously   
  
"Crap!" Crystal exclaims as they vase crashes onto the floor splattering into millions of pieces. She leans down to make it look like she is trying to clean it up and swipes a piece of glass over her wrist cutting it, and places a tissue over it as to conceal it.   
  
"Here let me help." Clark offers not noticing what she had just done.   
  
"Your not getting off this easy." Lana warns grabbing the waste basket and holding it out.  
  
"There's nothing to it really." Crystal answers, pulling the tissue out from her sleeve and throwing it out.   
  
"Did you just cut yourself when you dropped it?" Lana asks noticing the blood "Make sure theirs no glass in your hand still."   
  
"Oh don't worry about it." Crystal assures her  
  
"Let me see the cut." Lana instructs  
  
"It's no big deal really." Crystal pulls her sleeve over her hand firmly letting the blood seep into her shirt.  
  
"It's still bleeding" Lana protests pulling up Crystal's sleeve. "Oh Crystal tell me you didn't!" Lana gasps  
  
"It's nothing." Crystal grunts, giving Clark a Look.  
  
Clark gets the hint. "Yea, don't worry about her Lana, we'll deal with it." He says calmly  
  
"How will you deal with it?" Lana asks her voice rising "What if she does again?"  
  
"Hey! Don't talk about me as though I'm not standing right here." Crystal yells  
  
"Lana I said don't worry about it, it's none of your concern anyway." Clark says hotly  
  
"It is too my concern if my best friend is hurting herself and trying to keep it from me, and her brother and my boyfriend think it's a good idea to hide it. She needs help!" Lana shouts  
  
"Hey, hey what's going on in here?" Jonathan says sternly walking in, followed close by Martha.  
  
"You should ask Crystal." Lana tells him  
  
"Crys? What's up?" Jonathan asks  
  
"Nothing. I swear I don't know what she's talking about." Crystal says wide eyed  
  
"She's right dad, nothing's wrong." Clark adds  
  
Lana pulls up Crystal's sleeve and show them her arm. "Nothing's up right?" She asks angrily   
  
Jonathan glances at Martha who's face is now pale. "Lana, you need to leave we need to talk to Crystal."   
  
"I'll walk you out." Martha offers.   
  
Crystal sits down on the bed leaning on her pillows. Clark sits in the chair next to her bed. Martha comes back a moment later. Her and Jonathan's expressions both serious.   
  
"Crystal." Martha asks "Did you cut yourself?"  
  
"Yes, but it's not like you think-"  
  
"Quiet. Is this about Lex?" Jonathan asks gravely   
  
"Dad, Mom listen to me. I had to do it." Crystal protests  
  
"You didn't have to, you could of talked to us." Martha says  
  
"No I coul-"  
  
"Shh." Jonathan shushes her "Don't say anything."  
  
"Lana heard Crystal and I talking about my secret so Crystal covered for me by acting like the secret was this." Clark says quickly before he got interrupted.   
  
It takes a moment for it to register in Jonathan's and Martha's minds before they get it. "Oh….OH I'll go get…." Martha jumps up and hurries back with a Band-Aid and some peroxide. "Here let me see." She takes Crystal's arm in her hands  
  
Crystal sat still listening as her father thanked her for her quick actions to save them. Clark thanked her as well as did her mother.   
"Don't worry about it" She assured all of them. "I would do it again." She said as they left her room. Her mother lingered around a moment longer.   
  
"Crystal, the state notified me today that you're to go over Tom's house tomorrow. He apparently left something there for you before he died."  
  
"All right." Crystal nods   
  
"Do you want me to come with you?"   
  
"No. I can handle it."   
  
"All right then, good night."   
  
**********************  
  
"Crystal Kent." Crystal replies when asked her name  
  
"Go on upstairs, in his room I believe." The lawyer informs her  
  
"Thank you." She says as she gingerly walks through the house, she walked the familiar path to Tom's room and walked in. The once sports covered room was now trashed. 'we had to search for clues' a lawyer had informed her. She saw a box in the middle of the room labeled 'Crys' she walked over and opened it. She saw pictures of the two of them, smiling ear to ear in each one. Happy memories flooded through her. As she picked through the box. She found tickets to concerts they'd gone to. Her pom-pom he stole from her saying he needed something of hers in his room at all times. At the very bottom of the box she finds a teddy bear she gave him for his birthday, if had a secret compartment in it and she had hidden his real present in there- tickets a football game he had been dying to go too. She opened it up and found a tape inside. She quickly stuffed it in her pocket and left his house practically running home.  
  
"Her Crys……I guess you finally found the tape huh? Well obviously if you're listening…and if you're not Crys….well you shouldn't be listening…." Crystal smiles at the sound of his voice  
  
"I'm really sorry about the way things have been lately. That day when I blew the windows out of the car I was so freaked…..then I realized I could control it…. I accidentally blew up a bale of hay, then I did it again on purpose. I don't know how this happened either. Then I used it to scare the crap out of you that night at your house. You looked so scared, like I could break you or something. I never saw so much fear in your eyes. I was always your protector, and I had just instilled so much fear into you."   
  
Crystal's eyes welled up with tears as she listened. Clark sat outside her door unknown to Crystal listening as well.   
  
"I had known all along it wasn't Lex coming onto you….you were the one drifting I could see it coming for so long. But you were my first real love everything we shared together I couldn't lose that. I know you still loved me and I know you were starting to feel trapped maybe lost even." Tom's voice got quiet for a moment or so.  
  
"I couldn't control it after a while, I was always angry." Tom's voice starts to break "I killed my own parents I wasn't even close to them when I did, I had to be 10 feet away. I was so mad about a fight we'd had and I followed them and I waited and I killed them. I will never forget my mother's screams that night. I hope that they are ok now. I can only hope for that. And last I wanted to say I want you to move on with your life….and don't picture me in years to come in the stories you tell your children about you first love as some crazy person. And if it's meant for you to be with Lex, then do just that. You'll always be in my heart Crystal Leigh Kent….. always." Then the tape went dead as Tom had become silent.   
  
The words move on echoed in Crystal's mind. She realized she hadn't turned off the tape recorder and was just about to shut it off when she heard Tom's voice once more.   
  
"Crys, tell Clark to be careful with his secret I mean….. even superman has his weaknesses. Maybe if we had all been honest with each other this could of been prevented…oh well what's done is done… Good-Bye." Crystal heard a click then shut off her own tape player.  
  
Clark opens the door to her room. Crystal looks up. "Clark…" She starts  
  
"I have too."   
  
"I'm coming with you." Crystal jumps off the floor and follows him out.  
  
*************  
  
"Hey guys….. what's up?" Lana asks opening her door   
  
"Is Nel home?" Crystal asks  
  
"No… she went out. She'll be gone all day."   
  
"Good." Crystal walks into Lana's house.  
  
"We lied to you." Clark says before Lana could say anything.  
  
"About Crystal cutting herself?"   
  
"That was the lie. I made it up to protect Clark."   
  
"Protect Clark?" Lana repeats  
  
"I have a secret that no one knows, but my family." Clark says sitting on the edge of the couch.  
  
"Like what?" Lana asks nervously  
  
"I came here….. do you remember the meteor shower?" Clark asks  
  
"Of course I do! What has this got to do with anything?" Lana exclaims  
  
"That's when I came here."   
  
"You mean that's when your parents adopted you." Lana supplies  
  
"Lana be patient this isn't easy." Crystal says softly  
  
"I came here, I don't know how to say this…..because of those meteors. My ship landed here, and I crawled out and there was my parents, Crystal was with our grandparents that day."   
  
"Are you kidding? Your ship?" Lana asks standing up  
  
"It's in our basement if you don't believe us." Crystal tells her  
  
Lana stops, "Are you two really serious? Right. Next you're going to say you've got some magical power or something."   
  
Clark side glances at Crystal.  
  
"No way." Lana starts to pace "No freaking way. What are you-"  
  
"You have $30 in your pocket a 20, a 5 and 5 singles." Clark says  
  
Lana looks in her pocket and sure enough finds exactly what Clark said would be there. "How did you?"  
  
"X-Ray vision, don't worry I can control it, I'm not looking through you like that right now."   
  
"What else can you do?" Lana asks her voice softening.  
  
"Lift heavy things, like cars or something like that. I'm really fast I can get to school in about 2 minutes maybe less. I can see through things…. I can't get hurt unless someone has a piece of the meteor. That's my only weakness." Clark says looking down  
  
"You two are really serious." Lana says looking at their grave faces  
  
"Very." Crystal says "So what are you thinking?"  
  
Lana smiles "You mean Clark doesn't know?"   
  
Clark smiles realizing she was taking it ok. "So then you're ok with this?"  
  
"I'm a little weirded out, but yea I'm ok with this."   
  
"You do know you can never tell anyone." Clark asks her.  
  
"Clark I would never." Lana promises  
  
******************  
  
"Crystal?" Martha walks into her room carrying some of Crystal's laundry. She spots the tape recorder on the floor and picks it up, rewinds it a little and plays it back curious to what it was.   
  
  
"Crys, tell Clark to be careful with his secret I mean….. even superman has his weaknesses. Maybe if we had all been honest with each other this could of been prevented…oh well what's done is done… Good-Bye."  
  
Martha recognizes Tom's voice immediately and calls for Jonathan and plays it for him.   
  
"Neither of them are here Jonathan." Martha says worried  
  
"Get your coat." Jonathan says running out of the room and to the car.  
  
"Do you think they told her?"   
  
"It's not so much Lana that I'm worried about them telling, what if they decide to tell Lex?" Jonathan asks "He's not Lana, and wont take it the same way, he's supposed to be dead remember?"   
  
Martha's eyes widened at the possibility of this as they rushed off to Lana's house.   
  
To be continued……Lex will be back for the next chapter…. I don't know do you all think Lex should find out? LOL please R&R 


	7. The Road Ahead

Hey thanx for the reviews…. So will Lex find out or not? Hmm you'll have to read to find that out. Please R&R  
  
Martha and Jonathan pull up in front of Lana's house and run out of the car, Jonathan pounds on the door as though hoping he could stall them or something.  
  
"It's Mom and Dad." Clark tells Crystal  
  
"Uh oh. I'll get it." Crystal gets up and opens the door.   
  
"Crystal!" Martha exclaims   
  
"Did you two…..?" Jonathan asks  
  
Crystal opens the door wider and Jonathan and Martha see Clark and Lana standing in the background looking worried.   
  
"I'm sorry we didn't have a choice." Crystal tells them  
  
"Crys, open the door." Jonathan says  
  
Crystal goes to unlock it. "Wait." She stops "How mad are you two?"   
  
"Crystal, unlock it now." Martha sighs   
  
"So is that very mad or…..?"   
  
"Crys-"  
  
"OK, OK I can take a hint." Crystal unlocks the door.  
  
"So the strongest man in the world is scared of his parents?" Lana jokes softly  
  
"You better believe it." Clark smiles gripping her hand  
  
"Sit down all of you." Jonathan instructs   
  
"Mr. Kent, I swear I won't ever say anything to anyone, I understand the seriousness of this." Lana says before he says anything else.  
  
"I'm glad you do, it just seems that my children don't understand the seriousness of it."   
  
"Dad that's not fair" Crystal jumps in standing up   
  
"Crystal sit down."   
  
"No, you have to listen, yea so Clark is different in this major way, but he's still a person and he has feelings and all that, you can't expect him not to say anything to anyone ever."  
  
"What about you? Does that mean you'll never ever tell anyone?" Martha asks  
  
"This isn't about me." Crystal replies softly "You have to see this from Clark's point of view."   
  
"And you have to see this from our point of view." Jonathan tells her  
  
"What's done is done, we can't erase that past, and if we could I would do it all over again." Clark says jumping into the conversation. "I have no regrets."   
  
"Jonathan they're right, what's done is done, we'll make it through this we always do."   
  
"Yea I guess we will." Jonathan replies rubbing his head. "You all understand you can never tell anyone else right?"   
  
"Yes." They all agree   
  
"Good, then we'll see you two for dinner tonight." Jonathan and Martha get up and leave.  
  
"Is that why you disappear so much?" Lana asks "Cause you're always helping someone?"   
  
Clark smiles and nods  
  
"Looks like I need to correct a few pages in my diary…..but then that may be a bad idea huh? Putting it into writing?" Lana smiles "Well at least I know it wasn't me."   
  
"It was always about you. I wanted to spend every moment I could with you and I always kept getting interrupted" Clark says putting his arms around her.  
  
"It's good to know." Lana answers happily  
  
"I've got to go." Crystal gets up "Don't worry I'm not going to spread the news or anything." She smiles weakly and leaves Lana's house  
  
"I'm still worried about her. She's so attached to her past, and she can't move on." Lana tells Clark  
  
"I am too, but she'll deal with it in her own way. For now it's just us." Clark smiles leaning in for a kiss  
  
Lana smiles and kisses him back. "You're bad Clark Kent."   
  
"You have on idea." Clark says kissing her again.  
  
*****************  
  
Crystal looks up at the gates leading to the Luther mansion. She presses the button and it allows her to enter. The door opens and she steps into the house, giving her coat to the guy who answered the door.  
  
"Crystal? To what do I owe the pleasure?" Lex asks greeting her. "Can I get you something to drink?"  
  
"No thanks. I- I was in the neighborhood"   
  
"It's a long way off from your house." Lex replies  
  
"Yea I know." Crystal looks down  
  
"Did you get a ride out here? We didn't have plans did we, because I don't remember-"  
  
"No, I took the bus, it stops fairly close to here." Crystal cuts in "Sorry I didn't mean to just barge in like this, I should probably-"  
  
Lex grabs her hand and softly pulls her closer to him. "Your welcome here anytime." He smiles softly  
  
Crystal smiles a half smile in return "I'm sorry I'm such a mess."   
  
"Don't think twice about it." Lex assures her, seeing that she is he changes the subject "It's been a while since I've seen or heard from you."   
  
"A lot of has been going on, with my family" Crystal takes a deep breath "I had to go to Tom's house today." Lex cringes slightly at the mention of Tom's name. "He left some things for me, I left it all there though, except for a tape he left me. He talked about our past and well it was hard to hear his voice, he sounded so different. I'm sorry you don't want to be hearing this."   
  
"Hey, anything that concerns you, concerns me. And it's ok to feel scred or upset especially with something like this."   
  
"His funeral is tomorrow."   
  
"I'll be there."   
  
"You're so good to me." Crystal smiles wiping her eyes  
  
"Only the best for you. I don't know if it's rushing it, but I wanted to know if you would like to go out the night after the funeral. I know it's soon but-"  
  
"I would like too" Crystal accepts remembering Tom's advice for her to move on.  
  
"Great, how about a ride home then? I don't want you taking the bus."   
  
"All right thanks, you have no idea what you mean to me."   
  
"The same goes for you." Lex smiles "Come on let's go."   
  
***************  
  
"Thanks for the ride." Crystal leans over and kisses Lex before getting out of the car.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow." Lex tells her  
  
"All right" She replies softly  
  
"I'm not going to let you go through this alone, we're in this together." Lex assures her and she smiles and she shuts the door. Lex waits for her to get into her house and he pulls away.  
  
"Was that Lex?" Clark asks when Crystal gets inside  
  
"You scared me!" Crystal exclaims  
  
"Sorry."   
  
"I didn't tell him Clark, don't worry."   
  
Clark smiles "Where did you get that idea?"   
  
"From your face maybe." Crystal smiles  
  
"So, are you ready for tomorrow? I mean…"   
  
"I'll manage somehow. I always do." Crystal answers "I can't dwell in the past, he's gone."   
  
"I'm glad you found Lex, that you have someone you care about."   
  
"Yea me too." Crystal smiles weakly and goes up to her room.  
  
"Hey Clark." Martha walks in with Jonathan  
  
"Hey." Clark replies looking down.  
  
"Don't beat yourself up over it, his death couldn't of been helped and just imagine if he had hurt more people, or even your sister." Jonathan says  
  
"She looks so happy, then it's gone in a second. It follows her everywhere." Clark tells them  
  
"Clark, I know your worried, but it will pass in time, I've heard you telling Lana countless times to give it time. Take your own advice." Martha says softly  
  
"What about you two? I mean how does it make you feel seeing her go through this."   
  
"Helpless." Jonathan says sitting down. "I watch her everyday, trying to act like she's fine, when she isn't. She wont talk about it to us, but I am glad she talks to you and Lana even Lex about it."   
  
"We want her to talk, that's how she'll get better, and she is willing to talk to you. So just listen, and that's what we'll do if she comes to us." Martha adds  
  
"So that's it? Listen?" Clark asks  
  
"Unfortunately there's no superpower to heal a torn heart." Jonathan says.   
  
"Yea." Clark sighs. "I'm going to go to bed. I need to get sleep."   
  
"That's a good idea." Martha nods watching Clark leave. "Both of them are hurting so much, and Lana you can see it in her face too."  
  
"It's not easy for any of them but at least they're in it together."   
  
"You're right. Well we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Martha says  
  
"And we're leaving the day after"  
  
"Do you think it's a good idea?" Martha asks  
  
"I think it may give them all the time and space they need to work this out." Jonathan assures her "Don't worry, it'll be fine."   
  
********************  
  
Crystal leans over and shuts off her alarm when it went off, she had been awake for over an hour already. She got up slowly and showered. She felt dizzy and nauseous as she starts to get dressed. She pulled on a long black sweater over her black dress. She put on some make-up but skipped the mascara, she'd be wiping it off soon anyway. She looks up when she hears a knock. Lana comes in and sits on Crystal's bed, Lana's in similar attire. Lana doesn't say anything and waits for Crystal as she pulls her shoes on.  
  
When they go downstairs Crystal sees Nel, Lex, her parents and Clark already there. They all get into their cars and go to the funeral home.   
When they walk inside, Lana grips onto Crystal hand and brings her over to Tom's casket. "Want me to leave?" Lana whispers  
  
Crystal shakes her head "No."   
  
"You don't have to go over there."   
  
"Yea I do." Crystal whispers  
  
Lex and Clark take a seat in the back, Clark notices Whitney along with a few of some of the other guys from the team approaching the casket. All of them trying to keep their cool.   
  
The Kents, and Nel were talking to some of Tom's family, who looked distraught in another room.  
  
"Hi Lana, Crystal." Whitney says in a hushed voice as they neared the front of the line of people paying their respects.   
  
Crystal eyes widened when she saw Tom, she scrunched her eyes shut "I can't do…" She trailed off as her knees start to buckle underneath her.  
  
Whitney grabs hold of her and steadies her, he and Lana walk Crystal outside.  
  
"I'm sorry" Crystal apologizes as she sits down on a bench.   
  
"Don't worry about it, didn't really want to be in there anyway." Whitney smiles  
  
"None of us do." Lana adds "Thanks for your help Whitney."  
  
"No problem, actually I wanted to tell you that I have on hard feelings. I understand your breaking up with me. I want to stay friends though, I know it probably wont happen but I at least wanted to part on good terms or better terms then we had parted on last time."   
  
"That would be nice." Lana says and gives Whitney a hug before he left them alone.   
  
"That was big of him." Crystal says glancing at Lana. "Are you all right?"   
  
"I think, that sometimes I have it harder then you do. Whitney is still around it's like I could go back to him at anytime." Lana says tearing up  
  
"Do you want to?"   
  
"No."   
  
"We're going to make it past this right?"   
  
"At least we're in this together." Lana smiles   
  
"Every day, we get another chance." Crystal says "We have to look at the road we're going to walk on, instead of the road already traveled."   
  
"You're right, but it's easier"  
  
"said then done I know." Crystal smiles   
  
Lana laughs "Not everything has changed."  
  
"No, I mean I'm sure Chloe will want to cover this in the paper and add it"  
  
"to the wall of weird? I know I saw it. Well at least I wont be alone on it." Lana smiles  
  
"That's what best friends are for."   
  
"So do you want to go back inside?" Lana asks  
  
"No. I've said good-bye. It's time to move on."   
  
"Yea, me too." Lana agrees.   
  
Clark and Lex stand back in the shadows they had went to look for them when they noticed their absence, they heard the entire conversation. "Looks like things are going to start looking up." Clark smiles  
  
"That they do." Lex agrees, looking at Crystal.   
  
*********************  
  
"Where's the tickets?" Martha yells to Jonathan  
  
"In the drawer on the left." Jonathan yells back. "Where's my suit?"   
  
"Packed. I packed it this morning." Martha replies  
  
"You're going somewhere?" Crystal asks joined by Clark the next morning.  
  
"You're father's brother is having an adults only family reunion. You two will be on your own for a few days." Martha says searching the drawer. "Jonathan I can't find the-"  
  
"Here." Clark grabs them out of another drawer.   
  
Martha laughs "Thank you Clark. I hope you guys don't mind us leaving and telling you on such short notice."   
  
"Don't worry about it." Crystal assures her "We'll be fine."   
  
"Good, cause we leave in a few hours. OK so I left money on the table, the phone numbers you'll need on in the top right drawer on the counter and don't do anything you both know is wrong ok? "Martha asks in a rush  
  
"Go pack, we wont do anything wrong. Everything will be great." Clark replies  
  
"OK, good, well I need to finish packing." Martha hurries off.  
  
Clark and Crystal laugh when she's gone. "She looks frantic!" Crystal exclaims laughing.  
  
"Dad sounds the same." Clark answers "This is great we got the house to ourselves."   
  
"I know, I can't believe it!" Crystal smiles  
  
*********************   
  
"It looks like your parents are in a rush." Lex says stepping into Crystal's doorway.  
  
"Did you just get here? Yea they're going away for the weekend, my uncle is having some family reunion thing but the invitation wasn't extended to Clark and I."   
  
"What a shame."   
  
"Actually I think we lucked out."   
  
"How long are they going to be gone?"   
  
"Two days maybe three depends." Crystal shrugs "Where are we going tonight?"   
  
"That would be a surprise."   
  
"That's not fair."   
  
"Life. Isn't fair." Lex says sitting on her bed and pulling her close.   
  
"My parents are still here you know." Crystal smiles  
  
"Not for long." Lex grins  
  
"Clark! Crystal! We're leaving." Jonathan yells  
  
"I'll be right back, I have to say good-bye." Crystal gets up.   
  
"I'll be waiting." Lex smiles  
  
Lex looks around Crystal's room and spotted a tape recorder on her night stand, he realizes it must contain the tape from Tom in it. Lex rewinds it and plays it back. He looks confused and thoughtful when it's over. He places it back on the nightstand. "What are you hiding Clark Kent?" As Lex looks as the Kents pull out of their driveway   
  
Crystal stands wide-eyed in the doorway, she steps back and takes a deep breath and opens the door all the way smiling. "Hey there, we've got the house to ourselves now."   
  
"Perfect." Lex makes his way over to Crystal and kisses her. "Are you all right?"   
  
"Never better." Crystal replies softly her heart pounding, she momentarily forgot about Lex hearing the tape, as she gets lost in the moment.   
  
All right to be continued….lol I'm cruel, I'm making you wait for another chapter but it will be up soon I promise. Please R&R 


	8. Just a Few Drinks

Hey thanx for the reviews all right. About the Lex thing with him hearing and all, I guess sometimes I think things out but forget to add a minor detail, so Lex heard the end of the tape just like Crystal did, he was thinking about what was just stated and forgot to turn it off. All right one other thing, this chapter is going to seem like one thing but turn out to be another so don't worry I didn't let any of you done! Hehe you'll know what I mean later. OK that's it please R&R thanx so much.  
  
  
Lex and Crystal continue kissing. Crystal lay down on her bed as Lex began to kiss her neck, sending chills up Crystal's spine. Lex continues down to her collar bone. Crystal smiles and closes her eyes, Lex shifts his weight so he is more over her. She wraps her arms around his neck pulling his closer to her. She slips her hand under his shirt rubbing his back, while Lex's hand rests on her soft skin on her hip.   
  
"Oh, crap. Uh my bad." Clark stutters looking away quickly when he opened Crystal's bedroom door.  
  
Crystal slides out from under Lex and smoothes her shirt back into place. Lex stands up and runs his hand over his head avoiding eye contact with Clark.   
  
"I just wanted to tell you I was going to get Lana now and then we can go." Clark says quickly before shutting the door and leaving.   
  
Crystal glances over to Lex who smiles. She laughs "That was embarrassing."   
  
Lex nods. "That it was. I didn't expect him to-"  
  
"Don't worry about it, Clark's a big boy." Crystal answers moving closer to Lex and kissing him.  
  
"He is." Lex agrees  
  
"So what did he mean by we can go?" Crystal inquires   
  
"You don't miss a thing. We as in you, me, Clark and Lana are going out tonight."   
  
"I figured that was the we, but what I really want to know is the where."   
  
"All in due time. Are you done? Getting ready I mean?"  
  
Crystal smiles coyly "Do I look done?" She backs up.  
  
Lex looks at her in her black pants, light purple chenille sweater. "You definitely do." Lex confirms  
  
************  
  
"Crystal and Lex kissing?" Lana asks incredulously   
  
"On her bed." Clark confirms   
  
"She moves fast." Lana jokes  
  
"Lana please that's my sister!" Clark groans "I don't need visuals."   
  
"I don't need to supply you with one, you saw it first hand."   
  
"Now would be a great time to change the subject" Clark hints  
  
"So will you please tell me where we are going?" Lana asks hopefully  
  
"…………..No" Clark replies after pretending to think it over.  
  
"Well am I overdressed?" Lana asks hoping for a hint  
  
"A white sweater and khaki jeans. You are wearing an outfit very similar to my sisters so no Lana you are not over dressed."   
  
"Do you know?" Crystal asks flinging the door open as Clark and Lana approach the house.  
  
"No….so you don't either?" Lana asks wishfully   
  
Crystal's face answers her clearly "Guys this is so not fair." She complains. She glances at Lex "And don't say life isn't fair."   
  
"A party." Lex replies  
  
"A party?" Crystal asks doubtfully  
  
"Yes a party." Clark confirms  
  
"A party?" Crystal asks again.  
  
"Yes and don't say it again." Clark cuts her off  
  
"She just means you, well we're not exactly….dressed for a party." Lana says trying to cover it up.  
  
"We're not talking a bunch of wild adolescents boozing up and getting high." Lex tells them  
  
"Then what are we talking about?" Crystal asks  
  
"A grand opening kind of party."   
  
"Like a store?" Lana asks  
  
"No." Clark replies  
  
"Then what?" Crystal asks frustrated  
  
"A park, there's is going to be a grand opening of the SkyView (A/N: I made that up) Park in Metropolis. Kind of like a grand buffet moved outside and the evening will be finished off with fireworks. We thought you both would like that."   
  
Crystal and Lana glance at each other warily.  
  
Clark rolls his eyes "And "The Calling" will be there."   
  
"Let's go." Lana says happily walking out the door followed by Crystal  
  
"Forget all the nice stuff they want the band." Clark laughs grabbing his coat and walking outside.  
  
"Ladies" Lex says as he opens the door to the limo.  
  
*******************  
  
The four of them arrived a while later and stepped out. Looking around.   
"I love this song." Crystal smiles grabbing onto Lex's hand in reference to the song "Wherever you go".  
  
"I'm glad you do." Lex replies pulling her close.  
  
"Care for a drink?" A waiter asks holding a tray of champagne "The opening will be taking place shortly   
  
(A/N: most places at a grand opening or whatever offer champagne, a lot of time to teens too. I have been offered, so that's why I put that in here.)  
  
"Thanks." Lex replies taking a glass and passing it on. When they all have a glass the waiter walks away.  
  
"This is actually kind of exciting. Nothing like this ever happens in Smallville." Lana says to Clark as Crystal and Lex wander away to find a good view  
  
"What the band or the opening?" Clark teases  
  
Lana smiles and playfully hits him. "You know what I mean."   
  
"I know, but I like seeing you trying to be all tough."   
  
"Just watch Clark, you may be superman but I can take you down any day." Lana whispers in his ear.  
  
"I just may take you up on that one day." Clark whispers back. "Be careful."   
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen may I have your attention? We will now be opening the park for all visitors please take the time to look around, get a bite to eat. Listen to the band and special thanks for then showing up." The announces pauses to applause "And don't forget about our spectacular fireworks show we have planned for later this evening. So sit back, relax and enjoy! And now a toast to a new beginning, not only for the park but for all of us here!"  
  
Clark drinks his champagne and sets his glass down. "Let's go check this place out." He takes Lana's hand and they follow Crystal and Lex inside.  
  
**********************  
  
"You girls about ready to eat?" Lex asks  
  
"Yea, I am at least. What about you Lana?"   
  
"Yea me too, this place really was beautiful though, I never saw so many flowers in one place." Lana laughs  
  
The four get food and find a place to sit. The waiter stops and offers champagne. Clark accepts.  
  
"Clark that's like your third or fourth glass, you shouldn't drink that."   
  
"Yea Crystal's right." Lana agrees. Lex watches silently.  
  
"Don't worry about me. I can handle it." Clark assures them.  
  
"Right. Do you remember the last time you got drunk?" Crystal asks "You threw up all night."   
  
"You weren't in such great shape either I recall, how many have you drank tonight? Like I said I'm fine." Clark stands up as to prove his point when he gets a blinding headache. "Argh!" He exclaims sitting back down.  
  
"Are you all right?" Crystal jumps up.  
  
"Clark, stay still and let it pass." Lex instructs  
  
Clark glances up and when his vision refocuses he realizes he can see through everyone. He sees skeletons walking all around him. His heart is pounding away rapidly. He shakes Crystal off, but does so with such force he sends her stumbling backwards.   
  
Lex steadies her. "Clark sit down!"  
  
"I barely touched her!" Clark exclaims  
  
"It's true" Crystal whispers as her face turns pale. "Lana, Lana." She whispers "Everything is out of wack. The alcohol affected him!"   
  
Lana looks at Crystal. "You're right it had to of, there's no explanation for this."   
  
"Come on" Lex tells Clark helping him up.   
  
"Where are you going?" Lana asks  
  
"To the limo, we can't have him sitting out here like this." Lex explains "Help me"   
  
They get Clark to the car and help him inside. "One of you tell me what's going on now." Lex says "If you don't how are we supposed to help him? He may be sick." Lex says seeing their hesitation.  
  
"He can't go to the hospital" Crystal whispers  
  
"So are we supposed to tell him?" Lana asks  
  
"I don't know." Crystal replies wringing her hands looking freaked "I don't know."   
  
"Crystal, calm down, it can't be as bad as you would think. Breathe and then tell me." Lex says in a softer tone  
  
"Crys just do it." Clark mumbles pained  
  
Her eyes dart to Clark and then to Lana, and finally back to Lex. "Clark, has uh powers, he came here because of the meteor shower in his spaceship. He's unbelievably strong and can see through things-"  
  
"Which is the only way I can see right now." Clark moans   
  
"And he's fast." Crystal finishes  
  
Lex thinks about it for a minute "I knew…. I knew there was a logical explanation for why I am here today, that Clark wasn't just some guy who knew cars. Thank you all for trusting me." Lex leans over and opens the window so he can speak to the driver.  
  
Lana prayed that it wasn't a mistake to tell Lex as she rubbed Clark's head trying to make him feel better.  
  
"…..as fast as you can." They heard the end of Lex's instructions.  
  
"Where are we going?" Crystal asks  
  
Lex smiles comfortingly as Clark's vision began to fade and he started to pass out. "You have nothing to worry about……" He heard Lex say as everything went black and he became deaf to the noises around him. Clark struggled to open his eyes "…….after all your not superman right?" Clark heard Lex say  
  
"You're right, and you're right it's been a burden keeping this a secret all these years. It's good to get this off my chest."   
  
"You know what else would be nice to get off your chest?" Lex smiles leaning over to Crystal and she smiles and kisses him.  
  
"Hey!" Clark yells "Don't touch her!" He went to get up but realized he was bound down by straps. "Hey!" He yells pulling the straps causing them to tear.  
  
"Whoa there, we can't have you running off now can we?" A man asks "This should make it better." He says places a necklace with kryptonite   
on it.   
  
"Don't cause him too much pain." Crystal says walking in the room. She kisses Clark on his head. "After all he is the person I have come to know as my brother, he's been good to me."   
  
"We wont hurt him." The man promises "We only want to find out about him."   
  
Clark spots another man in the background giving Lex a check. "Crystal, don't buy into this, Lex is only in it for the money!" Clark yells  
  
"Clark don't be silly, they only want to know about you, you'll be back home before mom and dad even come back."   
  
"Crystal, their sucking the life out of me I can feel it."   
  
"They have to keep the kryptonite on you otherwise you'd run off. It's for your own good."   
  
"They've got you thinking this is all right." Clark exclaims   
  
"That's because it is going to be all right." Lana smiles walking in. "You have nothing to fear unless you have something to hide….but then again this was your secret so you'll be fine…"   
  
"Atta boy, just take a deep breath and close your eyes." An anesthesiologist says placing a mask over Clark's face.  
  
Clark wakes with a start he looks around him fully expecting to be sitting in a scientists laboratory. Instead he sees his bedroom. He sees Lex sitting on the floor sleeping, Crystal fast asleep leaning on his, his hand draped over her. Lana asleep in the chair next to Clark's bed. Clark breathed a sigh of relief it had all been a dream. But then why was everyone camping out in his room?  
  
"Clark." Lex's voice cut through the silence. "You feeling all right?"   
  
Clark nods, not able to get out any words.   
  
"You gave us a scare, we thought we had almost lost you."  
  
Clark nods again.   
  
"Clark." Lex says again, his voice softer this time. "You've become my most valuable friend. I wont tell anyone anything, mostly I'm just glad there is an explanation for my being here. For my not being dead." Lex tells him  
  
"There is, for my sister." Clark replies  
  
"That's my favorite reason." Lex answers stroking Crystal's hair looking down at her. "So we're cool then right? I wouldn't want you to think I would turn on you. This is good news, not bad."   
  
"We're cool." Clark confirms reaching over and shaking Lex's hand.   
  
"Good." Lex looks at Crystal. "Crystal." He whispers. "Come on."  
  
"Mmm is Clark all right?" Crystal mumbles sleepily   
  
"He's fine, let's get you to bed." Lex helps her up so he can walk her to her room.  
  
"Lex" Clark calls and Lex turns around "Thanks."   
  
"You'd of done the same for me. You already have." Lex smiles and he walks out.  
  
  
All right that's it for now….but it's not over lol please R&R and tell me what you all think. 


	9. Truth Be Told

Thanx for all the reviews keep them coming, lol here's the next chapter!  
  
Crystal woke the next morning in her own bed. She groaned because of an ache in her neck. She looked around wondering what exactly had happened the night before. She stumbled into the bathroom to take an aspirin for her headache.  
  
"Morning." Lana mumbles as Crystal leaves the bathroom. "Where's Lex?"   
  
"What do you mean where's Lex?" Crystal asks the question waking her up completely "He stayed here?"   
  
"You don't remember?" Lana asks incredulously "What happened yesterday?"   
  
Crystal leans against the banister thoughtfully "I told Lex didn't I?" She suddenly gasps  
  
"We told Lex, not you. Clark told you too and I agreed. Lex helped us out, remember? We trust him."   
  
"It's not that." Crystal groans "My parents are going to KILL me."   
  
"I'm sure they'll understand" Lana assures her  
  
"Listen I trust Lex and I would tell him everything and anything he wanted to know, seriously. But my parents. My parents don't trust me enough to think I would know who to trust. I could sit there time and time again telling them to trust him but they wouldn't."   
  
"They trusted me though" Lana reminds her softly  
  
"My father thinks that there is an inkblot on the Luther name. Because his father was able to strike it rich and the Kents always had to work for their money. He lives in the past." Crystal looks down "And besides he doesn't trust my judgment enough anyway. Especially after this whole thing with Tom. I mean the guy I choose to date tried to kill my family and ended up killing his own. My father doesn't trust me, don't tell me you don't know that."  
  
"Crys, of course that isn't true. Your father is just more protective of you. He wants to make sure your safe and that nothing will happen. It's not that he doesn't trust you."   
  
"Maybe. I'm going to see how Clark's doing." Crystal tells Lana walking into his room, Lana goes downstairs.  
  
"I didn't know you were still here." Lana comments walking into the kitchen  
  
"I never realized the position my girlfriend was in with her parents until now. Coffee?" Lex offers  
  
"You heard?" Lana asks accepting the cup  
  
"I did, do her parents give her as hard a time as she said?"   
  
"Not her parents, her father." Lana corrects "I don't get it to be honest with you."   
  
"I do, Crystal's right it's all about how my father made his money, granted not all of it was legitimate , and completely honest. But I'm not my father and I can't stress that enough to Crystal's father, and he still wont take my word."   
  
"Parents are not easy to deal with."   
  
Lex looks thoughtful for a moment  
  
"You can ask." Lana tells him   
  
"Ask what?"  
  
"How am I in the position to say parents are difficult when I don't have any."  
  
"Everyone has parents Lana, that's what connects everyone in the world. Some of our parents are just no longer around."   
  
"Like mine."   
  
"Like yours" Lex agrees   
  
"It's hard especially since Nel always wants everything to be perfect for me and never wants anything bad to happen or for me to ever make any mistakes. It's makes my life more complicated."   
  
"Complications are what makes life interesting." Lex muses "That's what I told Crystal the night I asked her out, it seems to of proven correct so far."   
  
"So it has." Lana agrees   
  
********************  
  
"You up Clark?"   
  
"Barely. You look like a wreck." Clark laughs at his sisters disoriented state  
  
"I don't look that bad." She comments looking in the mirror and pulling her hair into a ponytail.   
  
"I wasn't talking about that so much, you look like you've got a lot on your mind."   
  
"Preoccupied? Yea you could say that." Crystal replies sitting down in the chair Lana slept in the previous night.  
  
"What about? I thought you had everything figured out."   
  
"I did until you got drunk and I told Lex everything." Crystal replies bitterly  
  
"I had this dream last night that Lex turned me in, and I became this lab rat, being poked and prodded. You and Lana were both there and you both kept telling me it was for the best, that it would be ok. I felt so betrayed, then I woke up and Lex was sitting there watching you sleep kind of rubbing your hair. Lana was asleep next to me-"  
  
"In this chair."   
  
"Yea and Lex looked over and told me that I gave you guys a scare and he assured me he would never say anything. That I would do the same for him and that I already had. I told Lex I had a secret the day I saved his life."  
  
"True." Crystal reluctantly agrees  
  
"But?"   
  
"But how are we going to convince mom and dad that?" Crystal exclaims  
  
"I guess we're just going to have to have a good time to compensate for the time we wont be having when they get back."   
  
"Right, and when did you exactly plan to go to school or get better during all of this?"  
  
"School tomorrow right?" Clark groans  
  
"It is Monday."  
  
"And mom and dad will be back?"   
  
"Tuesday maybe Wednesday if we're lucky." Crystal replies  
  
"So we have until then to figure out what do to." Clark replies  
  
"Yea until we die." Crystal laughs  
  
********************  
  
"Lana!" Crystal hurries over to greet Lana at her locker. "This is way to weird, being back after all of this." She whispers  
  
"I know." Lana agrees   
  
  
Crystal rolls her eyes "Clark was running late this morning, is he here yet?"   
  
"Yea. He's been fending himself off from Chloe trying to get a story."   
  
"Oh yea? I wonder who won out."   
  
"I think he won."   
  
"Why?"  
  
"Cause she's headed towards us." Lana grimaces  
  
"Hey Lana, Crystal what's up?" Chloe asks happily  
  
Crystal smiles "Just fine get any good stories lately?"   
  
"Funny you mentioned it." Chloe starts  
  
"Even funnier but I've got to go." Crystal flounces off leaving Lana to fend for herself.  
  
"I have to, too. I've got to make up a test."   
  
"What about later?" Chloe presses  
  
Lana purses her lips "Honestly, I don't want to be a part of your story, you like to write about things that happen, but you don't realize the emotion that goes into it. Seeing your own face pasted onto someone's wall, your story for everyone to know. These stories are people's most major events in their lives-"  
  
"That's why it's so important for me to write about them."  
  
"No that's why it's so imperative that you don't, people, don't want everyone to be able to hear about them and know what they wish they didn't. I don't, Crystal doesn't, and neither does Clark." Lana replies softly as she walks away.  
  
"Well done." Crystal joking applauds Lana "I think you've gotten to her." She says linking arms with Lana as they walk down the hall.  
  
"You were cold." Lana admonishes her  
  
"I was angry, it was a heat of the moment kind of thing."   
  
"Well you had better get yourself straightened out by tomorrow, Clark heard a message your parents left on the machine this morning, you had already left. Your parents are coming home a day early, they'll be home for dinner."   
  
"Tell me your kidding me!" Crystal exclaims "I'm dead, I'm so dead and they'll never let me see Lex again. I should go now, see him I mean. If I get grounded I-"  
  
"If you skip school to see him, you'll be in a lot more trouble then you already are." Lana advises  
  
"All right, besides he's working today anyway."   
  
"Is Clark worried?"   
  
"Surprisingly no."  
  
"He's not."   
  
Lana smiles "If he was then he's good at hiding it."   
  
"Ew Lana, that's Clark all right? I know he's your boyfriend but really come on."   
  
Lana laughs "You should of seen how Clark freaked about you and Lex making out on your bed."   
  
"He told you?!?" Crystal exclaims laughing "You cannot believe how embarrassing that was."   
  
"I can only imagine." Lana replies "Come on let's get to class."   
  
****************  
  
"Crystal will you please stop pacing?" Clark asks irritated that afternoon at their house. Clark is sitting next to Lana on the couch watching t.v, Lana is leaning her head on his shoulders trying to watch the t.v. rather then Crystal's pacing.  
  
"Please sit down." Lana pleads "Call Lex or something."  
  
"I did, he's tied up, and I don't want to pull him away from work, and it would do me no good anyway I keep worrying about them and when they hear this."   
  
"You both decided definitely to tell them?" Lana asks  
  
Clark and Crystal exchange glances "Well we never exactly said that but it just seemed like-" Clark starts  
  
"What we were supposed to do. I mean we told them about telling you." Crystal adds  
  
"And besides-" Clark gets cut off by someone clearing their throat he looks up.  
  
Crystal turns around and the color drains out of her face.  
  
"Good-bye Lana." Jonathan Kent says in a clear and firm voice. He looks to his two children "Sit down. We need to talk."   
  
  
LOL that's it for now, I'll put what's going to happen with their parents finding out next chapter (lol obviously) a little cruel, but cliffhangers are good that way. 


	10. Road Trip

Please R&R sorry it took so long to update.  
  
Jonathan sits down and rubs his temples "So you two told Lex?"   
  
"We didn't have a choice." Clark replies quickly  
  
"Wait." Crystal stops Clark "I told Lex, I- I didn't want to keep living a lie like that, look where that got me with Tom, I didn't want that to happen again." Crystal covers for Clark.   
  
Jonathan looks at Crystal. "Go to your room, we'll talk later."   
  
"Why? So you can sulk in the idealistic thought that your daughter screwed up yet once again? No I'll settle this for you now. I screwed up, I told Lex. But I don't regret it, Lex isn't going to tell anyone, he owes his life to Clark. It's Lex's family you don't trust, not Lex." Crystal yells ranting. "You took once look at Lex, and that was it you never gave him a chance. I did and I saw something that you didn't take the time to see. Clark sees it, he knows that Lex is a person of honor and deserves to be respected. But you're hanging onto the notion that you worked your ass off to get to where you are today and Lex will always have more than you do and he hasn't lifted a finger. That's what you're holding onto!" Crystal yells  
  
Jonathan looks away angry. "Are you done?"   
  
"No, I'll never be done because you don't trust me, I'm sorry I can't be your perfect child like Clark but that's life. My life so let me live it." Crystal says coldly  
  
"Fine. Live your own life then, I'm only your father but that doesn't mean anything." Jonathan replies evenly, he gets up and leaves. Crystal turns on her heel and leaves the house.  
  
"Mom. Do something" Clark tells her  
  
"Do what Clark? Your father and sister are both so stubborn and adamant neither one of them will give in, I can't do anything and neither can you." Martha replies  
  
"I can't let them just fight like this. Crystal just wants to be heard, Dad wont even give her a chance."   
  
"Why don't you bring her school books over to Lana's house." Martha suggests "She's probably going to spend the night there." She says softly  
  
"Fine" Clark grabs Crystal's things and leaves.  
  
**********  
  
"Clark, hey" Lana opens the door   
  
"Here's Crystal's books" Clark smiles and hands them to her "How is she?"   
  
"Upset, she wouldn't even talk to Lex." Lana frowns "That bad huh?"   
  
"She blew up at my father, we all knew it was coming sooner or later." Clark shrugs "I guess it was just sooner."   
  
"Yea, listen I'd love to come out there with you but-"  
  
"I understand, want to grab a cup of coffee tomorrow after school?"   
  
Lana smiles "Yea, I'll see you tomorrow." She leans over and gives him a kiss before shutting the door.   
  
"Was that Clark?" Crystal asks coming out of the kitchen. She smiles "Nel is all worried that I had an emotional breakdown, she said she knows how tough my father can be sometimes and to give him a break too."   
  
"That's Nel for you. Mrs. Fix-it" Lana laughs "Clark dropped off your books. Crystal?"   
  
"I'm not calling Lex." Crystal replies sitting down.  
  
"Why not?" Lana asks sitting next to her.  
  
"Lana, please." Nel walks in "This conflict is over Lex is it not? Maybe what Crystal and Lex needs is some space."   
  
"No, they don't. If they do that's letting Mr. Kent win. Lex is a good person." Lana says firmly  
  
"Hey, I'm on your side remember." Nel says softly "Respect Crystal's wishes about this."   
  
Lana shakes her head, in complete disagreement with the situation. "Fine."   
  
"Good, anyone hungry then? Dinner's almost done" Nel says standing up.  
  
"You need to talk to Lex." Lana tells Crystal getting up.  
  
"No, I need to not talk to him for a little while."   
  
"Did you ever think that if you were to close him out now he would think that you regretted telling him and didn't trust him all of a sudden?" Lana asks   
  
Crystal thinks thoughtfully "Lex wouldn't do that."   
  
"Maybe, but don't close him out like this. He doesn't want you to upset. He never realized the crap your father gave you until yesterday. You have to let him in."   
  
"I already did and look what that's gotten me." Crystal says in a hushed voice  
  
"So are you saying you regret telling him?"   
  
"I don't know what I'm saying, I don't know anything right now."   
  
"Girls you coming?" Nel calls from the kitchen  
  
Crystal glances at Lana. "Yea we're coming" Lana replies  
  
*****************  
  
"Hey" Crystal sits down across from Whitney at lunch  
  
"What are you doing here?" Whitney asks confused  
  
"I'm exiling myself, I figure neither Lana or Clark will approach me if I'm with you."   
  
"You're hiding out." Whitney replies  
  
"So to speak."   
  
"How come, life isn't so great in the love lands?" Whitney asks dryly  
  
"I guess, things aren't getting easier. Ever since Tom…."   
  
"Died. I know. I thought Lana and I were going to be together forever. I never saw Clark coming." Whitney chuckles "Who could of known?"   
  
"Kind of like Lex and I. Even I have to admit we weren't the most likely couple." Crystal laughs "I don't even really know how it had happened."   
  
"Maybe cause Tom turned all psycho on you." Whitney suggests  
  
"Maybe, or maybe Lex just knew exactly how to get me. Knew the way to my heart you know?"   
  
"I wish I could of known the way to Lana's heart. You know I don't think I ever had it, at least all of it. I think a part of her was always with Clark. Now she's so happy with him. I love seeing her happy."  
  
"You just wish it was with you." Crystal finishes "That's tough. Do you think that's what happened to Tom?"   
  
"Tom loved you, but something was wrong with him. He couldn't control himself."   
  
"Well just promise you wont turn on me. I wouldn't want to lose someone else."   
  
"Promise" Whitney answers "Do you want to get out of here?"   
  
"Sick of being in school too?"   
  
"Yes." Whitney stands up "Come on" They walk outside and get into Whitney's truck "Clark looks pretty distracted today, what happened?"  
  
"I got into a fight with my father again. He wants me to be like Clark. The perfect child. Help out on the farm, do great in school. Go out with a decent person in his eyes." Crystal sits back. "I hate being stuck in this damn town."   
  
"So why don't you just leave?" Whitney asks  
  
Crystal glances at him "Leave?"   
  
"Why not? The school year is going to be over in a couple of weeks."   
  
"Whitney I can't just pack up and go. Where would I go? That's crazy"  
  
  
"Lana wants to get out of here to you know" Whitney muses  
  
"What are you saying?"   
  
"A road trip. Leave town after school is out. You and Lana and Lex I don't know who. Go and rediscover yourselves."   
  
"Maybe that's not such a bad idea." Crystal says a smile forming on her lips. "I need to talk to Lana."   
  
"Got it." Whitney turns the car around and heads back.  
  
"Thanks Whitney" Crystal says before getting out.   
  
"No problem" Whitney shuts the car and waves Crystal on.  
  
Crystal runs into the school and locates Lana. "I need to talk to you!" Crystal exclaims  
  
"So do I. You're in a lot of trouble. I had to cover for you, with missing class. Where did you go?"   
  
"Do you want to get out of here?"   
  
"Where school?" Lana asks confused  
  
"Smallville."   
  
"What are you talking about?"   
  
"A road trip, me and you we'll leave not tell anyone just go." Crystal says with a gleam in her eye.  
  
"When?"   
  
"The last day of school, there's always a big party and our parents will expect us to be home late. We'll leave right after school. No one will know we're gone until the next morning and we'll be long gone by then."   
  
"We don't have the money to do this." Lana reasons  
  
"I'll empty out my bank account."  
  
"You can't do that." Lana exclaims  
  
"Lana I'm going either way. You in or out?"   
  
"Just like that?" Lana asks  
  
"Just like that. Come on Lana, we need to get out of here and figure things out. It's been too crazy lately. We need a break." Crystal begs.  
  
"I still think this is crazy."   
  
"So you'll do it?" Crystal smiles she throws her arms around Lana "Thank you. Come on we've got a lot of planning to do!" Lana smiles happily and runs after Crystal.  
  
  
To be continued… I know this ended slowly but things will pick up. Please R&R for me thanx! 


	11. Mistaken

Thanx for all of the reviews so far I love to read them so please please keep R&R thank you!  
  
  
(2nd to last day of school)  
  
Crystal walks into the kitchen early the next morning hoping not to run into her father.   
  
"You can't avoid him forever" Martha says walking into the kitchen  
  
"And he's not trying to avoid me?" Crystal replies gathering her books. "I'll see you later mom" Crystal waves and leaves  
  
"Want a ride?" Lex pulls up next to her on the road  
  
Crystal ponders it for a second then smiles "Sure." She climbs in  
  
"I haven't seen you much lately." Lex says pulling away from the side of the road.  
  
"Things have been weird lately, I'm sorry to of left you in the cold."   
  
"It's all right, I wish you had let me know what was going on though" Lex glances at her "Anything you want to talk about?"   
  
"Lana and I got into a fight" Crystal replies "A couple of days ago and then I lied to her and I've never done that before aside from the thing about……. Clark."   
  
"What happened?"   
  
Crystal closes her eyes picturing the event.   
  
"Crystal I need to talk to you" Lana pulls Crystal aside during lunch. Lana looks around first "I'm not going"   
  
Crystal glances at her confused "Going where?" She asks smiling  
  
"On the trip, I can't leave not now."   
  
Crystal stops and stares at Lana "What do you mean you're not going we had this planned out."   
  
"I can't do that to Clark, we just got together and we got through all these obstacles it wouldn't be fair to just pick up and leave like that."   
  
"You have things to work out, you wanted to get away though" Crystal replies  
  
"No. You've been having problems with your father, and you've been confused about how you feel towards Clark. And I don't think you know whether or not you should of trusted Lex, your going in this big circle. You need to stay here and work it-"  
  
"I'm not staying" Crystal says firmly  
  
"You need to stay here and work it out, leaving wont help." Lana repeats herself  
  
"You know what? You stay I don't need you to tag along, you'd slow me down anyway." Crystal bites her lip regretting the words immediately   
  
"You don't mean that." Lana says softly "Why don't you just stay with me a few days."   
  
"I wouldn't want to stay where I wasn't welcomed"   
  
"Crys you're overreacting about this."   
  
"Of course I am." Crystal replies sarcastically, she stands up "I'll see you in a few weeks then."   
  
"Crys don't do this."   
  
"Why not? I have no reason to stay in Smallville."   
  
"It's your home."   
  
"Smallville." Crystal pauses "Smallville is home to the unnatural, the impossible, unbelievable. I don't belong in there. Clark does, Tom did, you do."   
  
Lana's faces clouds over. "What?"   
  
"I didn't really expect you to leave. You would never move on from this place it's the first and last place you have of your parents. I wouldn't ever dare to expect you to move on with life." Crystal says coldly   
  
Lana stands up and stalks away angrily. Crystal walks away without looking back.  
  
"Crystal?" Lex interrupts her thoughts  
  
"What? Oh it's no big deal." Crystal brushes it off  
  
"You sure?" Lex asks concerned  
  
"Are you working today?" Crystal asks suddenly   
  
"No, I don't have anything really imperative at hand to take care of right now, why?"   
  
"Want to do something?"   
  
"What about school?"   
  
"I only have today and tomorrow, I wont be missing anything."   
  
"Sure." Lex changes direction and goes in the direction of his house.  
  
They pull into his driveway a few minutes later. Crystal gets out and walks to his front door. Lex walks up next to her and lets her in.   
  
"You want anything?" Lex offers  
  
"No, I'm not hungry."   
  
"You look slightly pale are you sick?"   
  
"No." Crystal shakes her head and sits down.  
  
"I've been talking to Clark lately more than I've talked to you." Lex says casually   
  
"I'm sorry about that."   
  
"No worries, he says you've been preoccupied, between finals and your father. Clark said it seemed like you were having an identity crisis."   
  
"Clark's wrong." Crystal says abruptly   
  
"I hate to contradict your word but I'm worried about you." Lex admits  
  
"I wish you weren't"   
  
"I'm aware of that I know. Clark said that you've been more introverted lately."   
  
"Has he been looking through my walls of something?" Crystal asks sarcastically  
  
"Only once, upon my request" Lex says jokingly, Crystal glances at him and smiles.  
  
"You're hilarious Lex." Crystal smiles as Lex sits down next to her.   
  
"Anything to make you smile" He strokes her hair and she leans her head back against his chest. "Promise me something" Lex says  
  
"What's that?"   
  
"That you wont keep something from me like you had again, that you'll talk to me and we'll work it out. That's what I'm here for. I'm on your side."   
  
"Promise" Crystal answers softly giving him a kiss.  
  
*****************  
  
Crystal walks into her house that evening shortly after dinner, Clark is in the living room where he can hear everything.   
  
"Talk to her Jonathan" Martha nudges him  
  
"Crystal where were you today? Your school called you never came in." Jonathan tells her  
  
"That was smooth dad, I don't think that's what mom was aiming for." Crystal says to him  
  
"Answer me Crystal." Jonathan says firmly   
  
"Nice to see you care so much" Crystal smiles "I was with Lex."   
  
"You were with Lex? Lex Luthor?"   
  
"I don't know of any other Lex's do you?" Crystal asks innocently   
  
"Crystal I'm not joking around here" Jonathan raises his voice  
  
"I'm not either, I wanted to spend the day with Lex, so I did."   
  
"But you had us worried, we had no idea where you were." Martha jumps in.  
  
"Besides the fact I don't particularly like the idea of you spending time with Lex, along no less."   
  
"Why? One more smudge on my list? No big deal." Crystal says nonchalantly "Dad, I'm a big girl I can hang out with whomever I like whenever I like."   
  
"Not under my roof you can't, you're to oblige to my word."   
  
"All hail the mighty king" Crystal quips   
  
"Go to your room."   
  
"What?"   
  
"Go to your room and don't leave until school tomorrow, you are grounded you cannot see Lex or go out until I say you may. Do you understand?"   
  
"I understand that you dislike my boyfriend as much as I love him." Crystal gets up. "But whatever."   
  
"Jonathan stop" Martha takes hold of his arm "You've said enough, keep hold of your temper."   
  
Crystal runs up to her room and lays down on her bed. She falls asleep shortly after with a slight smile playing on her lips.  
  
******************  
  
"Did Crystal leave for school yet?" Martha asks Clark the next morning  
  
"I think so I heard her in the bathroom before." Clark shrugs "Where's dad?"   
  
"He started on his chores already." Martha frowns "The two of them are so unbelievably stubborn, I can hardly take it."   
  
"Dad was hard on her though, saying she can't see Lex."   
  
"I know, but it's hard to put the past behind you sometimes."   
  
"It's Lex's father dad has a problem with not Lex." Clark reminds her "I'll see you later mom"   
  
************  
  
"Hey Lana" Clark greets her at school.  
  
Lana looks around nervously "Have you seen Crystal?"   
  
"No why? You two make up?"   
  
"No, but did she come to school?"   
  
"She was gone by the time I had left." Clark answers  
  
"For school?"   
  
"That'd be my guess, why what's wrong?"   
  
"Are you sure she came to school? I haven't seen her, neither has Chloe or Peter."   
  
"Why are you getting people to look for her?" Clark asks suspiciously "She's probably hiding out somewhere she got into a fight with my father again yesterday cause she spent all of yesterday with Lex."   
  
"She what?" Lana asks "Clark she did that on purpose."   
  
"Did what?"   
  
"Insinuate a fight with your father."   
  
"How do you know that? You haven't been talking to her lately." Clark says narrowing his eyes  
  
"We were going to leave today, get out of here for a while. But I didn't want to leave you so I told her I wasn't going to go and we got into a fight and she said she was going to go anyway." Lana tells him  
  
"So she'd be where right now?"   
  
"You're guess is as good as mine." Lana shrugs  
  
"Was she going to go with Lex?"   
  
Lana shakes her head "She took money out of her account- a lot of money."   
  
"Damn" Clark looks away "Come on we've got to find her."   
  
"Clark maybe we should let her go." Lana tells him  
  
"No." Clark answers firmly   
  
"You can't protect her forever. And you don't know where she's going so you couldn't even find her." Lana reasons  
  
"One person will know where to find her." Clark replies  
  
"Who?"   
  
"Lex. Come on let's go." Clark runs out of school and Lana hurries to catch up with him.   
  
Crystal looks up as the bus pulls in front of the station and grabs her bag and climbs on. She finds a seat and leans her head against the window waiting for the bus to start.   
  
To be continued…… next chapter is going to be like Clark to the rescue kind of thing if anyone has anything they want to happen tell me and I'll try to work it in. 


	12. Out of the Elements

Please R&R, thanks  
  
"What do you mean you don't know where she is?" Clark asks Lex in disbelief  
  
"I'm sorry Clark, she's been vague lately, I don't know what's going on with her." Lex apologizes "I wasn't even aware she was planning on going anywhere. Or had bad the fights were between her and your father."   
  
"Lana, where were you two going to go?" Clark asks  
  
"We didn't have a plan, we were just going to leave. It sounds so stupid now so reckless." Lana sits down  
  
"I'm not going to just sit around here." Clark tells them both "I'm going to look for her."   
  
"You can't just search blindly, you have to come up with a plan." Lex instructs him  
  
"Like what?" Clark asks  
  
"Like how do you think she'd get out of here most efficiently?" Lex asks  
  
Clark thinks "The fastest way out of Smallville is a car, but all our trucks were there this morning."   
  
"The bus." Lana "Other than a car, it's the easiest way out, you know no hassle."   
  
"She's got a point Clark."   
  
"Yea, let's go."   
  
***************  
  
"Mind if I sit with you?" A man asks Crystal.  
  
"Sure." She replies not even glancing at him.   
  
"Leaving Smallville eh?" He asks making conversation as the bus starts up.   
  
"Yup."   
  
"Visiting or hometown?"   
  
"Hometown."   
  
"I see, so you're getting away for a while? Where are you headed?"   
  
"I don't know, I don't really care either."   
  
"Excuse my asking but aren't you a little young to be on a road trip alone?"   
  
"I was supposed to go with my best friend, but she decided to stay."   
  
"For a boy?"   
  
"Yep, my brother."   
  
"That's when it hurts the most." The man smiles "Charles Madison."   
  
"Crystal Kent." Crystal glances at him and then looks away again.  
  
"Kent eh? You're father wouldn't be Jonathan would it?"   
  
"The one and only" Crystal mumbles  
  
"Stubborn man, your father is."   
  
"Yup."   
  
"And you're mother, sweet as anything. You have a brother correct?"   
  
"Yea, Clark."   
  
"I thought so. Strong boy am I right?"   
  
"I guess, he's not anything special."   
  
"He saved a man's life from the river I'd say that's special."   
  
"Lex Luther?" Crystal asks  
  
"Ah so you're familiar with the story."  
  
"Lex is my boyfriend."   
  
"Well then if you wanted to get away why not escape to his humble retreat?" Charles jokes  
  
"You know a lot about the people who surround my life."   
  
"I'm a reporter." Charles explains "I know all and what I don't know I want to find out."   
  
"You should meet Chloe then." Crystal replies "She'd love to meet you."   
  
"Maybe my next trip into town…… is part of the reason for you're leaving due to the recent tragedy with you're ex-boyfriend Tom?"   
  
"Is this on the record?" Crystal asks  
  
"It's always on the record."   
  
"Then I have no comment." Crystal looks back out the window in silence.   
  
***************  
  
"Hello Clark you need a ticket?" The guy in the ticket booth asks Clark  
  
"Did my sister buy a ticket?" Clark asks  
  
"Crystal? Yea she did."   
  
"Is the bus still here?"   
  
"Clark her bus left over a half hour ago."   
  
"Where was it headed?"   
  
"I don't even remember I'm sorry."   
  
"Can you pull it up?"   
  
"I'm sorry Clark she paid cash there'd be no record of it." He apologizes  
  
"Thanks anyway." Clark starts walking away  
  
"Hey Clark? Chances are she's on the eastbound bus. You can check the schedule to see its stops."   
  
"Thanks" Clark grabs a schedule and goes out to Lex's car. "I got a schedule it's the best we've got."   
  
"So get in." Lex tells him.   
  
"No, you guys drive, I might be able to cover more ground if I go on foot." Clark shuts the door  
  
"All right." Lex agrees "Hey Clark, be careful."   
  
"I will." Clark looks at Lana "Everything will be all right."   
  
*************  
  
Charles nudges Crystal awake "Wake up."   
  
"What?" She glares at him  
  
"Get off here."   
  
She looks at him oddly "Why? This isn't my stop."   
  
"It is now." He grabs her arm   
  
"Get off of me!" She demands  
  
He flashes a gun "Get off." She nods and follows him off the bus  
  
"What the hell is a reporter doing with a gun?" She asks  
  
"Well I wouldn't exactly call myself a reporter." Charles explains "I would think of myself more of as a truth seeker."   
  
"So you purposely got on my bus?"   
  
"Yes, I was planning on leaving Smallville anyway if you guys have secrets there you sure know how to bury them, then at the station I saw you so I got on your bus."   
  
"What do you want?"   
  
Charles chuckles "You're not scared?"   
  
"I've seen worse." Crystal shakes her head  
  
"Ah of course a sweet boyfriend gone bad, how did he blow out those windows anyhow?"   
  
"How did he manage to kill his parents? You tell me."   
  
"See that's the thing I don't know, but you do." Charles reaches for her arm and she jerks it away. "Come with me."   
  
"I'm not going anywhere."   
  
"I've got the gun."   
  
"So you use it. You wouldn't shoot anyone is a public place." Crystal challenges him.  
  
"What are you hiding? Is it something about you? Lana? Lex? Or is it Clark?"   
  
"Maybe it's your dementia that's causing you to hallucinate."   
  
"You know something and I want to know what." Charles growls.   
  
Crystal looks around and sees Clark appear at the station, thinking fast she quickly starts to move towards the parking lot. Charles catches up to her fast enough but doesn't see Clark.   
  
"Not so fast, see here I wouldn't be afraid to use my gun." Charles smiles "You're not so bright."   
  
"Neither are you." Crystal glances past him, Charles turns and sees a security guard. Crystal starts to run and shrieks when she hears a shot, she turns to see the guard on the ground.   
  
****************  
  
"Maybe we should call your parents." Lana suggests to Clark  
  
"I don't know."   
  
"Clark you've checked all the stops. You have to."   
  
"Maybe you're right." Clark accepts Lex's cell phone and makes the call. "They're on their way."   
  
"Clark why are we staying here?" Lana asks   
  
"I don't know I just feel like she's here." Clark shrugs "It's weird."   
  
"Well do you know if she's ok?" Lana questions  
  
Clark sighs "I hope so. We've got to keep looking."  
  
"What was that?" Lana asks looking around scared  
  
"It sounded like a gunshot." Lex comments, Clark speeds off before Lex could finish. "Come on." Lex gets back into the car with Lana.  
  
Crystal looks around trying to decide what to do. "I'll shoot him again Crystal." Charles voice taunts her. "Why don't you just come out?"   
  
"So you can shoot me too?" Crystal walks towards him.  
  
"What's this? You all brave now?" Charles smiles   
  
"Yea that's it." Crystal replies sarcastically "No, I don't care that's what. So what do you want to know?"   
  
Charles smiles "Get in." He opens his car door and Crystal gets in. He goes around to the other side and drives away.   
  
Clark comes in as Charles car disappears, he goes to the security guard "What happened?"   
  
"Some guy had a girl hostage, shot me than left with her." The guard explains, Clark looks and sees help coming so he leaves to go find Crystal.   
  
"So you're ready to tell all?" Charles opens the door to his office.   
  
"We'll see."   
  
"No, you'll tell that's what."   
  
"No. I'm calling the shots now." Crystal replies sitting down. "What do you know?"   
  
Charles looks surprised but humors her. "Take a look" He turns him computer on and shows her his research.  
  
Crystal looks through everything. "You did your homework."   
  
"I did, now it's your turn to tell me what you know."   
  
"I will in due time." Crystal turns back to his computer.   
  
"What are you doing?" Charles asks standing up.  
  
"Deleting your files you didn't really think I'd tell you anything did you?"   
  
"So it's true then? All of it?"   
  
"No of course not, but I don't want these rumors going around it would bring people to Smallville that we don't want."   
  
"Who's to say you're ever going back?" Charles asks as she keeps deleting files "Stop that!" He orders her.   
  
"Almost done." Crystal clicks a few more keys he grabs her and pulls her out of the chair.   
  
"Now listen to me, you're going to tell me everything you know, or you're going to get shot." He twists her arm pulling her closer to him.  
  
"So shoot me." Crystal replies "Cause I don't care." He lets go of her throwing her back into a wall.  
  
"Be careful what you wish for." Charles points the gun at her. Crystal grabs his briefcase and hits him with it and runs out of his office. Charles gets up and goes after her. "Crystal, no use looking for help. No one knows you here. No one cares. No one cares back home either, but you already knew that. What are you going to go home to?" He asks  
  
Crystal thinks about what he was saying, thinking he may be right. She turns and finds him standing there. "This could have been avoided." He tells her then shoots.  
  
Please R&R sorry to keep you hanging but it's part of the fun right? 


	13. Inetivable

Please R&R, thank you.  
  
Crystal slams hard into the wall and Charles bolts out of the building. Clark catches up with Charles outside.   
  
"Clark Kent, nice to meet to Charles Madison." Charles extends his hand  
  
"Where's my sister?"   
  
"Crystal? Haven't seen her in quite a while." Charles shrugs putting his hand down.  
  
Clark grabs his collar and pushes Charles up against the wall. "Where's Crystal?" Clark asks in a menacing tone, as Lex and Lana pull over to the curb.  
  
"Clark?!" Lana asks scared   
  
"Find Crystal." Clark yells not loosing his grip on Charles. Lana nods and runs inside, Lex joins Clark.  
  
"I know you, I remember you. You were in Smallville for quite a while digging around looking for nonsense stories." Lex tells Charles  
  
"They weren't nonsense, it was research." Charles spats out  
  
"Oh what? There's nothing in Smallville." Lex says calmly  
  
"On Clark." Charles glares at him "I had almost everything I needed to prove something was going on, and his sister deleted all my work!" Charles explodes  
  
"Well a good reporter always has a backup disk. Guess you're not so good huh?" Lex smiles "Now answer Clark where is Crystal?"   
  
***************  
  
Crystal takes a deep breath feeling her life pass in front of her eyes. She closes her eyes remembering everything she could in the time she had left. She doesn't want to give up but she doesn't think she can hold out. Charles was right no one was going to help her here.   
  
"Crystal?" Lana's voice cuts into Crystal's thoughts  
  
Crystal opens her eyes looking for Lana.   
  
"Crystal?" Lana calls again  
  
"Lana" Crystal cries out hoping Lana will here her. Lana soon appears in the doorway and runs to Crystal.   
  
"What happened?" Lana asks looking over her wound  
  
"I did it for Clark, I couldn't let him hurt Clark." Crystal replies softly "I swear I didn't know this was going to happen."   
  
"Crystal, it's going to be ok, Clark is here and so is Lex."   
  
"Tell them both I'm sorry." Crystal tells her "And my parents."   
  
"No, listen to me you'll be fine. Your parents are already on their way." Lana says urgently "I'll be right back."   
  
"Lana-" Crystal calls out but Lana has run out already.  
  
"Clark!" Lana appears in the doorway.   
  
"Did you find her?" Clark glances at Lana  
  
"He shot her." Lana tells him looking scared   
  
Clark looks back at Charles and punches him out, then goes to Crystal with Lex and Lana close behind.   
  
"Where's the closet hospital?" Clark asks Lex.  
  
"It's a few blocks down from here, Clark what are you doing?" Lex asks as Clark picks up Crystal.   
  
"Meet us there."   
  
"Clark that might be dangerous for her in her condition." Lex says worried  
  
"I'll take my chances" Clark disappears  
  
"Come on" Lex runs out to his car with Lana  
  
******************  
  
"I need some help." Clark runs into the hospital   
  
A nurse runs over to him "What happened?" She asks signaling for a gurney  
  
"My sister she was shot." Clark explains as Crystal is getting wheeled away  
  
"She's lost a lot of blood, what type are you? Same as her?" The nurse asks in a hurry  
  
"Yea, yea I am." Clark replies quickly.  
  
"OK, go into that room there, it's best when there is a transfusion for it to be from family." The nurse points "I'll be back in a minute."   
  
*****************  
  
Lex and Lana run into the hospital a little while later as Clark emerges from a room rolling down his sleeve.   
  
"Why were you in a room? Is Crystal in there?" Lana asks  
  
"No I was giving blood, they said it was better for family to give to family." Clark replies  
  
"Clark was that a good idea?" Lex asks  
  
"We are the same blood type." Clark replies  
  
"Maybe, but you're not exactly the same…..type?" Lana says slowly "You know what I mean, what if it has some sort of an affect on her?"   
  
"Maybe a good one, like her healing faster or not dying." Clark replies forcefully  
  
"You think so Clark?" Lana asks doubtfully   
  
"It's our only chance. I can't let her die. I should have stopped her from leaving and I could have stopped Charles-"  
  
"Clark stop, I should have never let Crystal go anywhere in the first place I knew no good could come from it so I decided not to go, but I didn't stop her." Lana sits down in a chair "I can't believe this." She puts her face into her hands.  
  
"What happened to Charles?" Clark asks Lex  
  
"I don't know, he was gone when Lana and I got outside." Lex replies "What are we going to do about him?"   
  
"Nothing right now, if he wants something bad enough he'll be back." Clark turns away from Lex.   
  
"What are you going to tell your parents when they get here?"   
  
"Do you really want me to tell them the truth? That Crystal went to run off, got kidnapped and shot because she was - trying to protect me? That's not going to go over easy."   
  
"So you plan on telling them what?" Lex repeats himself  
  
"That you, me and Lana came out here to go on a little trip there was an accident and she got in the way of danger." Clark answers  
  
"And you think they'll buy that?" Lex asks  
  
"They have to." Clark replies  
  
"Clark's right. I don't want Mr. Kent getting mad at Crystal again we'll just be back at square one then." Lana says looking up  
  
"Clark Kent?" A nurse walks into the waiting area   
  
"Yea?" Clark walks over to her   
  
"We've stabilized your sister, it looks like she'll be fine." The nurse smiles and Clark looks relieved.  
  
"When can I see her?" Clark asks  
  
"Well not just yet, but soon I promise you. Have you called your parents?"   
  
"Yea they're on their way." Clark answers  
  
"The police are here they want to speak to you. Come with me." The nurse signals him to follow her.  
  
"Officer Monte." The officer introduces himself "I apologize for this being so informal but we think it may be a lead on a case we've been working on."   
  
"I don't mind." Clark replies  
  
"Fine, take a seat please." Officer Monte points to a chair. "Your sister was shot correct? Did you see the killer?"   
  
"I spoke with him, he said his name was Charles Madison, he was taller than me. He's stocky but not very strong at all, he looks like an average guys brown hair brown eyes, glasses." Clark replies  
  
"Thank you." Officer Monte says scribbling on a pad.  
  
"Is that it?" Clark asks  
  
"Yes, we've got our guy. His name is Charles Alexander, he resides in a group home and disappeared not to long ago, he's been posing as a reporter saying that the reason everyone thinks he's crazy is because of an alien being landing in Smallville. Just your everyday nut job, but a dangerous one. This should help, I've been told you found your sister by the office buildings off the main road by the bus station?"   
  
"Yea that's right."   
  
"Well that's all I need for now, if I need anything else I'll contact you, you will probably be staying here for a while. Your sister was lucky she was found in time." Officer Monte half smiles before leaving.  
  
"Clark?" The nurse walks in "Your sister is in her room, you can go see her."   
  
"Is she awake?"   
  
"Not for long, but yes. I'll take you there." She signals for him to follow her.   
  
"Crys?" Clark walks in and goes to her bed. Crystal looks at him, slightly confused until recognition registers on her face. "Crystal?"   
  
"Hey Clark, I tried to save you ya know." She smiles weakly   
  
"Yea I know."   
  
"Two times, from the same guy too. Funny he shot two people too." Crystal looks around "I got my own room?"   
  
"Yea, guess who paid for it?"   
  
Crystal smiles "Lex."   
  
"Yep, he's worried about you, so if Lana and mom and dad are on their way-"  
  
"I don't want to see them." Crystal cuts him off her smiles diminishing   
  
"Who?"   
  
"Mom and Dad, and don't argue me on it I already told the nurse." Crystal says firmly   
  
"But-"  
  
"Clark please." Crystal asks softly   
  
"All right. So how are you feeling?"   
  
"I just got shot, how do you think?" Crystal laughs "You want to hear something weird? Like off of Chloe's wall kind of weird?"   
  
"Sure." Clark smiles  
  
"When I got shot, I hit against the wall and I could have sworn I broke or fracture my arm and in the operating room they stuck a needle in that arm and I thought I was going to pass out from the pain, then like I swear out of no where my arm stopped hurting. Look" Crystal picks up her arm "There's no even a bruise, how do you figure?" She looks over to Clark smiling.  
  
Clark looks surprised and taken back "What was in the needle they gave you?"   
  
"I don't know, they gave me two needles one in my left hand, it's still there? Oh I remember hearing something about blood loss, so it was probably blood. Why you have a theory?"   
  
"Yea, I donated blood to you." Clark explains  
  
"You what?"   
  
"We're the same blood type, I just figured maybe since my blood may be enhanced it could benefit you."   
  
"So you think I got your power to what?"   
  
"I don't know, heal? How else do you explain it?"   
  
"The bullet wound hasn't gone away though, it still hurts." Crystal states  
  
"Maybe is hasn't gotten there yet."   
  
"What if I like heal miraculously while I'm here don't you think they'll think something of it?"   
  
"Maybe we can work something out with Lex, like at home care." Clark suggests  
  
"Clark it would have to be soon, this could expose you." Crystal replies alarmed.  
  
"I'll figure something out, just get some rest."   
  
"Clark-"  
  
"I'll go talk to Lex now, all right?" Clark asks  
  
"Think of something quick ok?"   
  
"I promise." Clark gets up and leaves.   
  
"Clark" Lana goes to him "How is she?"   
  
"We need to get her out of here." Clark looks at Lex "I need your help."   
  
"I don't understand." Lex replies  
  
Clark lowers his voice "It worked, giving her my blood something's happening and we can't risk being exposed. She has to get out of here soon."  
  
"I'll do what I can, but Clark have you thought what happens if her body can't handle it? What if it works too well and causes damage?" Lex asks  
  
"First things first we need to get her out before my parents get here." Clark says firmly   
  
"I'll be right back." Lex walks away to find someone to assist him.  
  
  
Please R&R thanks. 


	14. Transfer

Hey please R&R thanks, oh and an author's note, I did think about the fact that Clark wouldn't be able to get punctured by a needle but for the sake of the story I put it in here.  
  
"All right let's go, we've got to be quick about this. They'll send a doctor by tomorrow to check up on her." Lex walks out brusquely  
  
"Where are we going?" Lana asks walking over to Lex.  
  
"My house, she'll be safe there until we can figure this out." Lex goes to the door to bring his car around. "Go tell Clark to bring her out front, I'll be waiting."   
  
"All right." Lana hurries to get Clark and tell him what to do.   
  
*****************  
  
"That was fast." Crystal smiles at Lex as Clark helps her into the car.   
  
"Yea your lucky I was here." Lex replies starting the car.   
  
Crystal leans her head on Lana "I'm sorry I screwed up like that, I wasn't thinking, I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. I didn't realize what I caused until it was too late."   
  
"Don't worry about that right now." Lana replies   
  
"Crys-"  
  
"I know Clark." Crystal cuts him off "Believe me I know."   
  
"So you'll talk to them?"   
  
"Tell them to meet us at Lex's." Crystal replies "I want to put an end to this."   
  
Clark smiles and picks up the phone.   
  
*****************  
  
Crystal wakes up a little while later in a bed in Lex's place. "Clark?" Crystal calls standing up looking in the mirror.  
  
"You're up? I'll go get mom and dad-" Clark stops and looks at his sister's shocked face "What is it?"   
  
"It's gone." Crystal mutters in sheer amazement  
  
"What's gone?" Clark walks closer  
  
"Look" Crystal lifts her shirt slightly to show only skin, the bullet wound gone.   
  
"Does it hurt?" Clark asks looking more closely at it.  
  
"Clark how did that happen?" Crystal looks back at the mirror and then leaves the room. Clark follows her downstairs.   
  
"Crystal?" Martha asks standing up "Why are you up?"   
  
"That's a good question considering….. what happened?" Jonathan trails off  
  
"It's gone, there's no wound anymore." Crystal replies  
  
"I donated blood to Crystal." Clark explains "It was stupid but I couldn't think of anything else."  
  
"How did- Clark? Crystal you're really all right?" Martha asks shocked   
  
"We have to explain this to the doctors that are supposed to be coming to check up on me." Crystal reminds Clark  
  
"Jonathan how are we going to explain this?" Martha turns to him.  
  
"We wont, we'll tell them we've got another doctor and leave it at that, what choice do we have?" Jonathan asks   
  
"I'll take care of that." Lex offers  
  
Jonathan looks at Lex for a moment, "All right, thanks."   
  
"I'll take care it now, I think you all need a moment." Lex goes to leave.  
  
"Lex, where's Lana?" Crystal asks   
  
"Upstairs sleeping." Lex smiles then leaves  
  
"Dad, before you say anything I screwed up, I shouldn't have left or caused trouble or told Lex or Lana about Clark. I shouldn't have given you such a hard time or made things so hard for you and I'm sorry." Crystal says in a hurry  
  
Jonathan shuts hit mouth and smiles "I guess that takes care of that." He replies and Martha nudges him "But I promise I wont be so hard on you, I only have one superchild."   
  
"Well maybe not for long, what kind of affects do you think it may have on her?" Martha asks   
  
"You saw what happened to Eric when he accidentally got my powers, he couldn't handle it." Clark tells them all  
  
"That's comforting Clark. Besides I didn't actually get your powers, I just borrowed them… right?" Crystal asks  
  
"Right." Jonathan answers quickly so as to not worry Crystal "Why don't you go and see Lana?"   
  
"Smooth, you can just ask me to leave you know." Crystal smiles but leaves anyway  
  
"So what are you thinking Jonathan?" Martha asks   
  
"I'm thinking that it may be best for Crystal to stay here, people notice things to quickly out on the farm and in town. I can't believe I just said that but I think that would be best." Jonathan replies honestly   
  
"So you think there's a chance she may have gotten some of his powers?" Martha asks glancing at Clark  
  
"How do you feel?" Jonathan asks Clark  
  
"Fine, I don't feel any different." Clark shrugs  
  
"You sure? I mean really positive."   
  
"Yea Dad I'm sure." Clark answers  
  
"Pick up something." Martha suggests gesturing to the couch.  
  
Clark walks over and lifts it with ease. "See no problem."   
  
"Maybe it will only be some temporary thing." Jonathan mutters rubbing his chin "We can only hope."   
  
***************  
  
"Hey Lana." Crystal walks in smiling "Look good as new."   
  
"I can see that, how do you feel?" Lana asks sitting up   
  
"No different, but better you know? But I think it's because I finally worked things out."   
  
"You did?" Lana asks smiling  
  
"Well it wasn't some big heart to heart, but yea I think we did."   
  
"So you're not going to run away again?"  
  
"I promise." Crystal crosses her heart.  
  
"Try to lift something, or look through a wall." Lana asks Crystal smiling.   
  
"I wouldn't even know how to look through a wall." Crystal laughs   
  
"Well what does Clark do?"   
  
"I don't know." Crystal shakes her head  
  
"Try to lift something than."   
  
"This is crazy Lana." Crystal laughs getting up and walking over to a recliner in the room she tugs on it "See- " She starts but jumps back when the chair lifts with ease dropping to the floor with a thud. "It's probably just a light chair." Crystal replies nervously   
  
"Yea, probably" Lana agrees   
  
"You try to pick it up."   
  
Lana gets up and walks over to the chair, but can't lift it.   
  
"Try harder." Crystal urges her.  
  
"I am, it's not going anywhere." Lana looks solemn "What happened?"   
  
"You don't think I really go powers do you?" Crystal asks her mouth agape.   
  
"Look through the wall." Lana presses  
  
"I tried" Crystal admits "It didn't work."   
  
"So maybe you only have some powers."   
  
"I don't want any powers, that's not me, it's Clark. He's the one who can handle all of it." Crystal replies nervously   
  
"What are you going to do?" Lana asks   
  
"What should I do?"   
  
"Is everything all right?" Lex asks walking into the room.  
  
"Yea why?" Crystal asks glancing at Lana. "What's up?" She asks smiling  
  
"I came to tell you, that your father wants you to spend a few days out here to make sure everything is ok with you." Lex replies   
  
Crystal smiles wider "That's great! I can't believe my father suggested that but it's great."   
  
"Clark will be staying too, to make sure we don't stay in the same room I'm guessing." Lex chuckles "So what was that bang I heard?"   
  
"You heard?" Crystal cringes  
  
"Yes I did." Lex replies "I'm sure the whole house did what was it?"   
  
"I kind of picked up that chair, and I got startled that I did and I dropped it." Crystal cringes  
  
"How did you pick it up?" Lex asks "It weighs a ton……"   
  
"This isn't good." Crystal sits down. Looking over at Lex, she smiles weakly   
  
Lex returns her smiles and sits next to her "We'll figure something out."   
  
"So I guess, I should go and tell Clark...?" Crystal asks and Lex nods so Crystal gets up to go and find Clark.  
  
To be continued....please R&R 


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